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IOWA  YEARLY  MEETING 


FRIENDS. 


Book  of  Discipline.. 

1 


OSKALOOSA  HERALD 
PRINT. 


The  Revision  of  1891 . 


THE  RISE  OF  THE  SOCIETY  OF 
FRIENDS. 


The  religious  Society  of  Friends  dates 
its  rise  from  about  the  year  16d7.  This 
was,  in  England,  a  period  in  which  many 
-of  the  props,  on  which  men  had  long  been 
accustomed  to  leau,  both  in  civil  and  re¬ 
ligious  matters,  were  shaken  or  removed. 
The  fears,  troubles,  and  heart-stirring 
thoughts  connected  with  the  domestic  com¬ 
motions  which  then  prevailed  in  the  na¬ 
tion,  led  many  into  a  deep  search  as  to 
the  grounds  of  their  opinions,  and  the  real 
stability  of  their  religious  hopes;  but  the 
movements  of  this  period  must  be  traced 
to  a  much  earlier  date.  To  go  to  their 
source,  we  must  at  least  go  back  to  the 
•days  of  the  enlightened  Wickliffe  and  the 
persecuted  Lollards;  but  this  would  lead 
us  beyond  our  space. 

The  English  Reformers  who  tied  into 


4 


RISE  OF  THE 


Switzerland,  during  the  persecution  in  the 
reign  of  Queen  Mary,  and  who  returned 
from  their  exile  on  the  accession  of  Eliza¬ 
beth  to  the  throne,  were  far  from  being 
content  with  the  point  to  which  the  Queen 
allowed  the  Reformation  to  be  carried. 
Many  of  them,  however,  appeared  to  sat¬ 
isfy  their  conscience  with  the  hope  that 
they  were  doing  more  good  by  takings 
offices  under  her  auspices  than  by  leaving 
them  to  be  filled  by  those  wdio  were  less- 
attached  than  themselves  to  the  Protest¬ 
ant  cause.  But  others  could  not  be  per¬ 
suaded  thus  to  compromise  their  religious 
judgment,  and  chose  rather  to  remain 
without  office  and  profit  than  to  conform 
to  all  the  rites  and  ceremonies  which  the 
Queen  had  chosen  to  impose  upon  the 
nation.  Uniformity  in  matters  of  religion 
was  at  this  time  the  favorite  doctrine  of 
all  parties,  and  was  hardly  less  espoused 
by  Elizabeth  than  it  had  been  by  her  sister 
Mary;  for  very  severe  laws  were  made  in 
the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  under  which  both 
Papists  and  Protestant  Dissenters  were 
cruelly  persecuted,  and  some  of  them  even 


SOCIETY  OF  FRIENDS. 


5 


put  to  death.  A  religious  movement, 
-deep  and  inward,  though  not  very  active, 
was  going  on  during  the  subsequent  reign 
of  James  the  First;  and  it  may  fairly  be 
said,  that  the  continued  denial  to  the  peo¬ 
ple  of  the  right  of  private  judgment  in 
religious  matters,  and  the  unchristian 
efforts  which  were  made  by  his  successor, 
■Charles  the  First,  to  force  conscience,  con¬ 
tributed  not  a  little  to  that  convulsion  of 
the  State,  in  which  the  monarchy  was  for 
a  time  overthrown. 

The  proceedings  of  Archbishop  Laud 
and  his  party,  during  the  reign  of  this 
monarch,  in  endeavoring  to  assimilate  the 
Episcopal  Church  of  England  more  closely 
to  the  Church  of  Rome,  excited  a  strong 
feeling  of  revulsion  in  the  minds  of  many 
Episcopalians,  and  led  the  way  to  that 
extraordinary  ascendancy  which  the  Scotch 
Presbyterians  suddenly  obtained  in  En¬ 
gland  in  those  days.  There  was  among 
this  people,  at  that  time,  much  high  reli¬ 
gious  profession,  united  with  bitter  intol¬ 
erance  towards  all  who  could  not  accept 
their  Directory  on  matters  of  worship 


<3 


RISE  OF  THE 


and  other  outward  services.  There  was. 
however,  also  to  be  seen  much  deep  and 
practical  religious  conviction,  and  in  not 
a  very  few  an  earnest  search  after  truth. 
The  strictness  of  their  lives  and  the  ear¬ 
nestness  of  their  preaching  doubtless  rec¬ 
ommended  them  to  the  more  serious  part 
of  the  nation,  of  various  classes  ;  but,  in 
connection  with  the  power  which  they 
obtained,  it  is  evident  that  they  sought 
primarily  the  absolute  ascendancy  of  their 
own  church  polity  and  doctrine.  Though 
they  had  strongly  denounced,  in  their  own 
case,  papal  and  prelatical  imposition  upon 
the  conscience,  yet  they  did  not  scruple, 
in  the  case  of  others,  to  attempt  to  rule  in 
that  seat  of  God;  and  they  were  no  less- 
ready  than  their  predecessors  to  punish 
those  who  could  not  bow  to  their  author¬ 
ity.  Thus  it  was  evident  that  presbytery 
and  prelate  alike  sought  to  be  lords  over 
God’s  heritage,  and  that  amidst  the  earnest 
discussion  respecting  church  government 
and  the  forms  of  religious  worship,  the 
essential,  experimental  work  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  in  the  heart,  and  the  true  liberty  of 


SOCIETY  OF  FRIENDS. 


7 


the  Gospel,  were  in  great  measure  over¬ 
looked.  All  the  chief  religious  parties 
of  the  day  so  mistook  the  nature  of  Chris¬ 
tianity  as  to  endeavor  to  obtain  their 
objects  by  the  power  of  the  sword;  and 
many  who  were  extensively  engaged  in 
the  enterprise  of  reformation,  if  sincere- 
in  the  outset,  became  corrupt  by  success, 
and  sought  selfish  ends  under  the  guise  of 
patriotism  and  religion. 

There  was,  however,  a  large  number 
who  were  constant  and  earnest  in  their 
desire  for  the  establishment  of  truth  and 
righteousness;  and  these,  grieved  with  the 
versatility  and  hypocrisy  which  prevailed, 
were  led  to  search  more  deeply  into  things- 
within  them  and  around  them,  Many 
prayers  ascended  to  Heaven  from  indi¬ 
viduals  and  from  little  communities,  scat¬ 
tered  about  in  various  places,  that  they 
might  see  more  clearly  the  path  in  which 
they  should  walk,  and  be  strengthened  to- 
follow  Christ  wherever  He  would  lead 
them.  The  earnest  cries  of  these  were 
not  in  vain  :  they  came  to  see  that  they 
had  been  too  much  engaged  in  discussion 


8 


RISE  OF  THE 


about  outward  forms,  and  had  too  much 
depended  upon  man  in  the  great  work 
of  religion,  and  for  its  establishment  in 
the  earth.  They  continued  steadfast  in 
the  great  doctrine  that  the  door  of  God’s 
mercy  was  freely  opened  to  sinful  man, 
through  the  propitiatory  sacrifice  of  Christ 
alone;  but  they  were  awakened  to  see 
themselves  and  the  condition  of  things 
around  them  in  a  new  light.  The  require¬ 
ments  of  a  disciple,  the  denial  of  self,  the 
transforming  power  of  the  Spirit,  their 
introduction  into  the  divine  presence  that 
they  might  really  become  sons  of  God 
and  brethren  of  Christ,  were  things  which, 
though  they  had  heard  them  discussed, 
now  tool§  possession  of  their  minds  with 
the  force  and  energy  of  new  truths,  and 
as  they  dwelt  upon  them,  they  were  led 
to  believe  that  there  was  for  them  a  fuller 
deliverance  from  sin,  and  a  closer  union 
with  Christ,  than  they  had  hitherto  found. 
They  were  told  indeed,  that  a  state  was 
not  to  be  attained  in  this  life,  in  which 
man  walks  before  the  Lord  in  entire  alle¬ 
giance  to  His  will;  but  they  believed,  that 


SOCIETY  OF  FRIENDS. 


9 


though  from  weakness  he  may  slip  or  fall, 
yet  his  heart  may  nevertheless  be  so 
renewed  by  grace,  as  that  his  love  shall  be 
pure  and  simple,  and  his  eye  being  single 
to  the  Lord,  his  whole  mind  may  be  enlight¬ 
ened  to  see  truly  and  to  pursue  steadily 
the  things  which  belong  unto  his  peace. 
They  felt  and  deeply  lamented  how  short 
they  were  of  this  experience,  which  they 
believed  to  be  the  privilege  of  the  Chris¬ 
tian,  and  they  sought  help  from  many 
quarters  ;  for  nothing  less  than  this  expe¬ 
rience  could  satisfy  their  inward  cravings, 
or  their  thirst  after  the  knowledge  of  the 
very  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus.  These  seek¬ 
ing  people  found,  however,  but  little  help 
from  those  who  were  esteemed  the  most 
eminent  religious  teachers,  and  they  came 
to  place  less  and  less  dependence  upon 
man,  and  to  look  to  the  Lord  only  for 
light  and  strength. 

Such  appears  to  have  been,  with  differ¬ 
ent  degrees  of  clearness,  the  state  of  many 
minds  in  various  parts  of  England  when 
George  Fox,  who  had  himself  been  simi¬ 
larly  led  and  deeply  instructed  in  the 


10 


RISE  OF  THE 


school  of  Christ,  went  forth  preaching  the 
truth,  as  he  had  found  it  to  his  own  peace. 
Many  received  his  message  as  the  expres¬ 
sion  of  their  deepest  thoughts,  and  as  an 
answer  to  their  fervent  prayers.  He 
preached  Christ  the  light  of  the  world, 
Christ  crucified  for  the  sins  of  all  men,, 
opening  the  way  of  reconciliation  to  all 
who  believe  in  Him  and  receive  Him  into- 
their  hearts  as  their  rightful  Lord,  Christ 
come  in  the  flesh,  and  Christ,  according 
to  His  promise,  come  in  the  Spirit,  to  be 
with  His  disciples  in  their  individual  and 
collective  capacity  to  the  end  of  the  world. 

These  were  the  fundamental  doctrines 
which  George  Fox  preached;  and  it  was 
not  at  all  in  disparagement  of  the  doctrine 
of  Christ  having  come  in  the  flesh,  that 
he  dwelt  more  conspicuously  upon  that  of 
Christ  come  in  the  Spirit,  seeing  the  latter 
was  that  which,  in  the  professing  Church, 
Satan  had  been  most  busy  in  restricting- 
and  perverting.  “1  was  glad,”  says- 
George  Fox,  “when  the  Lord  God,  and 
His  Son  Jesus  Christ,  sent  me  forth  into- 
the  world,  to  preach  His  everlasting  Gos- 


SOCIETY  OF  FKIENDS. 


11 


pel  and  Kingdom,  that  I  was  commanded 
to  turn  people  to  that  inward  light,  spirit 
and  grace  by  which  all  might  know  their 
salvation  and  their  way  to  God,  even  that 
Divine  Spirit  which  would  lead  them  into 
all  truth.”  Christ  dwelling  in  the  heart 
by  faith,  ruling  there,  and  subjecting 
everything  to  Himself  by  the  power  of 
His  Spirit,  was  the  experimental  knowl¬ 
edge  to  which  George  Fox  called  men. 
T1  )is,  he  declared,  was  the  state  of  liberty 
which  Christ  had  promised  to  give  to  His 
followers,  and  which  they  only  know  who 
believe  in  and  accept  that  “light,  spirit 
and  grace,”  which  convicts  of  sin,  and 
leads  through  deep  repentance  and  living 
faith  into  righteousness.  The  Lord  Jesus 
promised  to  be  “with  II is  disciples  alway, 
even  unto  the  end  of  the  world.”  And 
these  words,  in  George  Fox’s  view, 
referred  to  His  spiritual  presence  in  the 
soul,  as  the  teacher,  bishop  and  prophet 
of  His  people;  superseding  all  the  Jewish 
priesthood,  and  excluding  all  those  cor¬ 
rupt  imitations  of  it,  by  which  man,  in 
various  ages,  had  sought  to  exalt  himself. 


12 


RISE  OF  THE 


and  to  evade  that  spiritual  rule  of  Christ, 
to  which  the  flesh  and  the  devil  ever  were, 
and  still  are,  so  strongly  opposed. 

lie  traveled  unweariedly  from  place  to 
place,  calling  men  to  repentance,  and  to 
come  to  Cod  through  Christ  their  Saviour, 
who  had  died  for  them,  and  who,  by  His 
Spirit  within  them,  was  enlightening,  con¬ 
victing,  and  seeking  to  convert  them. 
There  were  many  who  heard  this  call  with 
gladness  of  heart,  and  who  came  to  sit 
under  Christ’s  teaching,  and  to  learn  in  all 
humility  in'  His  school.  These,  when 
deserted  by  kindred  and  friends,  and  per¬ 
secuted  on  every  hand,  yet  not  forsaken 
by  their  gracious  Lord,  felt  that  it  was 
“enough  for  the  disciple  to  be  as  his  Mas¬ 
ter.”  And  indeed  their  sufferings  were 
grievous  and  long.  For  when  the  Dis¬ 
senters,  who  had  complained  so  heavily 
of  church  tyranny,  and  who  had  spoken 
so  well  of  liberty  of  conscience,  and  of 
the  evils  of  state  impositions  in  religious 
matters,  had  superseded  the  Presbyte¬ 
rians,  they  were  not  proof  against  the 
temptation  of  power  :  it  was  soon  appar- 


SOCIETY  OF  FRIENDS. 


13 


out  that  they  also,  but  too  generally, 
“loved  the  uppermost  seats  in  the  syna¬ 
gogues,  and  to  be  called  of  men,  Rabbi.” 
They  were  ready  not  only  to  take  the 
pulpits  of  the  ejected  ministers,  but  also 
to  extort  from  others  who  conscientiously 
differed  with  them  that  forced  mainte¬ 
nance  for  preaching  which  had  been  gall¬ 
ing  to  many  of  themselves,  when  it  was 
imposed  by  prelatical  or  presbyterian 
authority.  It  is  due  to  the  cause  of  truth 
as  maintained  by  the  early  Friends,  to 
remark  that  they  upheld  liberty  of  con¬ 
science,  not  only  when  suffering  under  per¬ 
secution,  but  also  when  they  were  raised 
to  power  in  the  province  of  Pennsylvania. 

Those  who  united  with  George  Fox  in 
his  views  of  the  presence  of  Christ  in 
the  Church  and  in  its  individual  members, 
and  who  believed  in  His  spiritual  guidance 
and  teaching,  could  not  conform  to  the 
customary  modes  of  worship.  They  met 
together  to  worship  God,  who  is  a  spirit, 
in  spirit  and  in  truth.  They  could  not 
offer  to  Him  words  which  did  not  truly 
express  their  feelings.  They  believed  that 


14 


RISE  OF  THE 


in  true  worship  all  acts  must  be  performed 
in  the  abasement  of  self,  and  under  the 
leading  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  When  assem¬ 
bled,  they  were  often  strengthened  and 
comforted  together  in  silent  waiting  be¬ 
fore  the  Lord  ;  whilst,  individually,  they 
breathed  their  secret  aspirations  unto  God, 
and  realized  that  Christ  was  amongst 
them  by  His  Spirit,  uniting  their  hearts 
together  in  mutual  love  to  Him  and  His 
great  cause.  And  when  any  amongst 
them,  under  this  deep  feeling  of  true  wor¬ 
ship,  were  constrained  in  spirit  to  speak 
the  word  of  exhortation,  prayer,  or  praise, 
they  gratefully  accepted  it,  as  from  the 
Lord,  and  as  drawing  to  Him.  But  pre¬ 
concerted  human  arrangements  for  preach¬ 
ing  or  prayer;  the  setting  up  of  one  man 
as  the  sole  teacher  in  the  congregation  ; 
the  establishment  of  a  body  of  such  min¬ 
isters  by  the  State;  the  imposition  of  their 
maintenance  upon  those  who  differed  with 
them  ;  all  these  were,  in  their  view,  viola¬ 
tions  of  great  Christian  principles,  inter¬ 
fering  with  Christ’s  authority  and  govern¬ 
ment  in  His  Church,  and  excluding  the 


SOCIETY  OF  FRIENDS. 


15 


free  exercise  of  the  various  gifts  bestowed 
by  Him  for  its  edification.  They  admitted 
freely  the  preaching  of  women,  as  well  as 
that  of  men,  according  to  the  practice  of 
the  apostolic  age,  when  sons  and  daugh¬ 
ters  prophesied,  and  the  Spirit  of  the 
Lord  was  poured  out  upon  “servants  and 
handmaidens,”  not  limiting  the  number 
in  any  church. 

Though  the  Friends  maintained  the 
right  and  duty  of  the  members  of  a 
Christian  church  to  exercise  the  spiritual 
gifts  with  which  they  were  severally  en¬ 
dued,  they  held  that  the  authority  to  judge 
of  the  offered  services  of  the  members 
rested  with  the  assembled  body  of  the 
church,  under  the  direction  of  its  spiritual 
Head.  Entire  individual  independence  in 
society  is  a  contradiction  in  terms.  In  the 
primitive  Church,  though  there  was  the 
utmost  liberty  of  prophesying,  it  is  declared 
that  “the  spirits  of  the  prophets  are  subject 
to  the  prophets,  for  God  is  not  the  author 
of  confusion,  but  of  peace,  as  in  all  the 
churches  of  the  saints.”  The  members 
were  “subject  one  to  another  in  the  fear 


16 


RISE  OF  THE 


of  Christ,1'  and  this  subjection,  as  well  as 
the  duty  of  caring  for  and  watching  over 
one  another  for  good,  was  clearly  recog¬ 
nized  by  Friends,  and  formed  the  basis 
of  that  system  of  discipline  which  was  es¬ 
tablished  amongst  them,  and  under  which,, 
as  members  of  the  body,  they  enjoyed  so- 
large  a  measure  of  liberty  in  connexion 
with  true  order.  Under  this  discipline 
the  poor  were  cared  for,  the  education  of 
the  youth  was  promoted,  religious  efforts 
were  used  to  reclaim  the  erring  and  delin¬ 
quent  members,  and  when  Christian  labor 
had  failed,  the  ultimate  proceeding  was 
the  declaration  of  the  Society’s  disunity 
with  the  offender  as  one  of  its  members. 
This  proceeding  carried  with  it  no  pro¬ 
scription  from  its  religious  worship  or  the 
ordinary  intercourses  of  human  kindness, 
and  the  Society  was  open  at  all  times  to 
receive  the  disowned  person  into  fellow¬ 
ship  on  the  evidence  of  reformation.  As 
the  Society  declined  conscientiously  the 
usual  rites  in  connexion  with  marriages, 
births  and  deaths,  the  registration  of  these 
events  was  under  the  special  care  of  the 


SOCIETY  OF  FRIENDS. 


17 


meetings  for  discipline.  After  two  hun¬ 
dred  years  from  its  establishment,  the  orig¬ 
inal  system  of  church  government  is  with 
much  benefit  steadily  acted  upon,  and 
those  principles  which,  at  its  rise,  united 
the  members  of  the  Society  in  Christian 
fellowship,  continue  to  be  maintained  by 
their  successors  and  to  distinguish  them 
from  other  religious  bodies. 

Believing  that  no  typical  or  ceremonial 
rites  were  appointed  by  Christ  or  II is 
apostles  for  the  continual  or  universal 
observance  of  the  Church,  in  accordance 
with  their  views  of  the  spirituality  of  the 
Gospel  dispensation,  they  abstained  from 
the  use  of  Water  Baptism,  and  from 
what  is  called  the  Sacrament  of  the  Lord’s 
Supper.  In  the  declaration  of  Christ,  that 
the  time  was  at  hand  when  “they  that 
worship  the  Father,  must  worship  Him  in 
spirit  and  in  truth,”  they  saw  the  essential 
abolition  of  all  ritual  religious  services, 
and  the  opening  of  a  real  spiritual  rela¬ 
tion  and  intercourse  between  man  and  his 
Creator. 

The  imposition  of  tithes  on  the  people 


18 


RISE  OF  THE 


they  esteemed  to  be  a  virtual  recognition 
of  the  continued  authority  of  Judaism, 
and  a  practical  denial  that  Christ  had 
come,  had  superseded  the  whole  Judaical 
economy,  and  had  placed  upon  the  site  of 
its  departed  glories  the  spiritual  temple  in 
which  He  was  the  great  High  Priest.  Pie 
said  to  His  disciples,  “Freely  ye  have  re¬ 
ceived,  freely  give.'’  Those  whom  He 
sent  to  minister  to  His  flock  in  spiritual 
things  were  entitled  to  partake  of  the 
carnal  things  of  those  who  received  their 
message  ;  but  this  natural  claim  gave  no 
authority,  they  asserted,  to  the  imposition 
of  payment.  Such  an  imposition,  in  their 
view,  was  utterly  opposed  to  the  liberty 
and  nobility  of  the  Christian  system,  and 
was  an  evidence  of  corruption  in  the 
church  which  practiced  it,  whatever  name 
that  church  might  bear.  They  called  men, 
therefore,  to  come  out  of  it;  to  leave  hire¬ 
ling  priests  and  mere  lip  services  ;  and  to 
come  to  Christ  alone  for  the  supply  of 
their  spiritual  necessities.  To  pay  the 
ecclesiastical  demands  imposed  upon  them 
would,  in  their  judgment,  be  a  virtual 


SOCIETY  OF  FRIENDS. 


19 


recognition  on  tlieir  part  of  an  unchristian 
system,  for  they  esteemed  it  a  case  in 
which  they  must  act  upon  the  apostolic 
rule,  “to  obey  God  rather  than  men.” 

In  obedience  also  to  Christ’s  command, 
“Swear  not  at  all,”  they  refused  all  judi¬ 
cial  as  well  as  other  oaths;  and  in  like 
accordance  with  His  command  to  love 
one’s  enemies,  and  not  to  return  evil  for 
evil,  they  believed  that  all  war  was  unlaw¬ 
ful  to  the  Christian.  They  did  not  seek 
to  be  singular  ;  but  in  the  maintenance  of 
strict  truth,  and  the  avoidance  of  pride 
and  flattery,  they  were  led  into  great  sim¬ 
plicity  in  dress,  manners,  and  language. 

These  various  testimonies  brought  upon 
them  much  contumely  from  the  high  pro¬ 
fessors  as  well  as  from  the  profane.  They 
were  said  to  be  “against  ministry,  magis¬ 
tracy,  and  ordinances;”  but  being  brought 
into  an  entire  submission  to  whatever,  in 
their  enlightened  consciences,  they  be¬ 
lieved  to  be  the  will  of  their  Lord,  they 
acted  simply  and  decidedly  upon  their  con¬ 
victions  of  duty,  and  gave  up  all  that  they 
counted  dear,  in  faithful  allegiance  to 


20 


RISE  OF  THE 


Him;  and  many  of  them  went  forth  into- 
the  highways  and  hedges  to  proclaim  the 
truth,  believing  themselves  called  to  invite 
others  to  come  and  enjoy  the  Gospel  lib¬ 
erty  which  they  had  found.  Great  were 
their  sufferings  when  the  professors  of  Oli¬ 
ver  Cromwell's  days  had  the  rule  in  En¬ 
gland;  and  still  greater  were  they  under 
the  government  of  the  second  Charles, 
when  the  Episcopalians  were  to  be  restored 
to  power,  and  when  the  prominent  mem¬ 
bers  of  “Church  and  State”  seemed  to  vie 
with  each  other,  both  in  licentious  indul¬ 
gence  and  in  cruelty.  A  systematic,  legal¬ 
ized  effort  appears,  at  this  period,  to  have 
been  made  to  exterminate  the  “Quakers”! 
Cruel  laws  of  Henry  the  Eighth  and  Queen 
Elizabeth,  made  originally  against  the 
Papists,  were  revived,  especially  those  for 
the  regular  attendance  at  “church”  and  the 
taking  of  the  oath  of  allegiance,  and  were 
executed  with  severity  upon  the  Friends. 

The  Conventicle  Act,  passed  in  the  year 
16G4,  prohibited  the  meeting  together  of 
five  or  more  persons  for  the  exercise  of 
religion,  in  a  manner  contrary  to  the  liturgy 


SOCIETY  OF  FRIENDS. 


21 


or  practice  of  the  Church  of  England,  un¬ 
der  pain  of  being  committed  to  prison  for 
the  first  offence,  and  transported  beyond 
the  seas  for  the  second  !  An  act  had  pre¬ 
viously  been  passed  against  those  who, 
“on  the  ground  that  it  was  contrary  to  the 
word  of  God,”  refused  to  take  an  oath 
before  a  lawful  magistrate;  or  who  should, 
•“by  printing,  writing,  or  otherwise,  go 
about  to  maintain  and  defend,  that  the 
taking  of  an  oath  is,  in  any  case  whatso¬ 
ever,  altogether  unlawful and  this  offence 
was  in  the  Conventicle  Act  also  made  pun¬ 
ishable  by  transportation ! 

With  these  and  similar  legal  measures, 
bishops,  clergy,  judges  and  magistrates, 
with  the  aid  of  a  host  of  wicked  inform¬ 
ers,  betook  themselves  to  the  work  of  hunt¬ 
ing  down  these  Christian  people.  At  one 
period  more  than  4,200  of  them  were  shut 
up  in  close  and  noisome  prisons,  chiefly 
for  meeting  together  to  worship  God  in 
such  manner  as  they  believed  He  required 
of  them,  and  for  refusing  to  take  oaths. 
When  the  plague  was  raging  in  London  in 
lt>G5,  the  persecutors  were  busily  engaged 


22 


RISE  OF  THE 


in  committing  Friends  to  infected  prisons, 
and  putting  them  on  board  vessels  for 
transportation.  Many  died  in  prison,  and 
out  of  fifty-five  put  on  board  one  vessel, 
designed  to  transport  them  to  the  colonies, 
twenty- seven  died  of  the  plague,  rescued 
from  the  hands  of  cruel  men,  and,  as  we  rev¬ 
erently  believe,  taken  to  be  with  their  Lord, 
All  the  trials,  however,  which  were  per¬ 
mitted  to  attend  them  did  not  shake  their 
faith  and  constancy.  Though  the  world 
hated  them,  they  were  heartily  united  in 
love  to  God  and  one  another.  At  the 
hazard  of  their  own  liberty,  those  who 
were  at  large  visited  their  brethren  who 
were  in  prison,  and  ministered  to  them. 
And  at  a  time  when  many  of  them  were 
sick  and  dying  from  their  confinement  in 
filthy  holes  and  dungeons,  a  large  number 
of  their  friends  entreated,  that  if  their 
afflicted  brethren  could  not  otherwise  be 
relieved,  they  themselves  might  be  allowed 
to  take,  body  for  body,  the  places  of  the 
most  suffering  prisoners.  The  govern¬ 
ment,  unmoved,  rejected  the  offer,  but  the 
love  which  directed  it  was  not  without  its 


SOCIETY  OF  FRIENDS. 


2  Z 


influence  on  the  minds  of  the  people,  who 
could  not  avoid  observing  how  largely  the 
despised  “Quakers”  evinced  the  charity, 
as  well  as  the  zeal  and  constancy,  of  the 
primitive  Christians. 

Many  persons  were  led  by  the  treat¬ 
ment  and  by  the  conduct  of  the  early 
Friends  to  look  more  carefully  into  their 
doctrines  and  manners  :  they  remembered 
that,  heretofore,  the  way  of  truth  had 
been  everywhere  spoken  against  ;  and 
when  they  found  that  these  objects  of 
general  reproach  were  industrious  in  their 
callings  and  exemplary  in  all  the  duties  of 
social  life,  and  that  they  were  also  ready 
to  forsake  houses  and  lands,  parents  and 
children,  rather  than  disobey  what  they 
believed  to  be  the  law  of  Christ,  the 
inquirers  were  often  led  to  conclude  that 
these  much  despised  people  were  indeed 
true  followers  of  Him  who,  with  Ilis  dis¬ 
ciples,  was  not  of  this  world,  and  there¬ 
fore  the  world  hated  them. 

It  is  worthy  of  remark  how  much  this 
kind  of  conviction,  not  founded  on  minute 
reasoning,  but  resting  chiefly  on  the  prac- 


RISE  OF  THE 


"24 

tical  and  internal  evidence  of  the  truth, 
whether  furnished  by  the  lives  of  its  con¬ 
verts,  or  by  the  fruits  produced  by  the 
operation  of  the  Spirit  in  the  hearts  of 
those  to  whom  it  is  preached,  has  marked 
the  course  through  which  Christ,  the 
great  Head  <>f  His  own  Church,  has  in  all 
ages,  thought  fit  to  gather  His  people  out 
of  the  world.  In  the  opening  of  the 
Gospel  day,  though  then  accompanied  by 
extraordinary  miracles,  there  was  much  of 
this  process  to  be  observed:  and  in  the  sub¬ 
sequent-  revivals  of  religious  life,  whether 
in  Germany,  Switzerland,  or  England,  a 
large  majority  of  the  converts  were  brought 
to  Christ  through  an  inward  sense  of  the 
Truth,  finding,  as  they  did,  that  the  doc¬ 
trine  preached  conformed  both  to  Scrip¬ 
ture  and  to  the  testimony  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  the  witness  for  God  in  their  own 
hearts. 

Many  among  the  early  converts  to  the 
Truth,  who  had  been  wise  and  great  in 
this  world,  were  made  willing  to  become 
fools  in  the  sight  of  men.  They  humbly 
sought  to  learn  of  that  promised  Com- 


SOCIETY  OF  FRIENDS. 


25 


■forter,  who  the  Saviour  declared,  should 
■“teach”  His  disciples  “all  things,”  and 
bring  to  their  “remembrance  whatsoever 
He  had  said  unto  them.”  Their  delight 
was  in  the  law  of  the  Lord,  and  they 
gloried  in  nothing  save  in  the  cross  of 
Chirst,  by  whom  the  world  was  crucified 
unto  them,  and  they  unto  the  world. 

They  found,  as  one  of  them  has  said, 
that  it  was  the  nature  of  true  faith  to  pro¬ 
duce  a  holy  fear  of  offending  God,  a  deep 
reverence  for  His  precepts,  and  a  most 
tender  regard  to  the  inward  testimony  of 
His  Spirit.  They  proved  that  those  who 
truly  believe,  receive  Christ  in  all  His 
offers  to  the  soul  ;  and  that  to  those  who 
thus  receive  Him,  is  given  power  to  be¬ 
come  the  sons  of  God, — ability  to  do 
whatsoever  He  requires;  strength  to  mor¬ 
tify  their  lusts,  to  control  their  affections, 
deny  themselves,  and  to  overcome  the 
world  in  its  most  enticing  appearances. 
This  is  the  true  bearing  of  that  blessed 
cross  of  Christ,  which,  according  to  His 
own  words,  is  the  great  and  essential 
characteristic  of  His  disciples.  That  the 


2t> 


RISE  OF  THE 


early  Friends  were  among  these  true  cross- 
bearing  disciples,  was  abundantly  evi¬ 
denced  before  the  world  in  their  lives; 
and  by  these,  as  well  as  by  their  preach¬ 
ing,  they  held  out  to  mankind  the  apos¬ 
tolic  invitation,  “come  and  have  fellow¬ 
ship  with  us;  for  truly  our  fellowship  is 
with  the  Father,  and  with  His  Son  Jesus 
Christ.” 


TIIE  DECLARATION  OF  FAITH. * 


Believing  that  God  has  designed  that 
our  branch  of  Ilis  Church,  which  the  Good 
Shepherd  has  gathered  into  one  flock,  and 
who  have  received  the  Gospel  of  Salva¬ 
tion  as  fellow-members  of  the  body  of 
Christ,  should  hold  the  truth  in  righteous¬ 
ness,  keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  and  con¬ 
stantly  seek  to  attain  unto  the  unity  of 
the  faith  and  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Son 
of  God,  we,  therefore,  humbly  adopt  and 
will  faithfully  profess  and  publish  these 
fundamental  doctines  of  Christian  Truth: 

OF  GOD. 

We  believe  in  one  holy,  almighty,  all¬ 
wise,  and  everlasting  God,  the  Father,  the 
Creator  and  Preserver  of  all  things;  and 
in  Jesus  Christ.  His  only  Son,  our  Lord, 
bv  whom  all  things  were  made,  and  by 

*  This  Declaration  of  Faith  was  prepared  by  the  Gen¬ 
eral  Conference  of  Friends,  held  iu  Richmond,  Indiana, 
in  18bV. 


so 


DECLARATION  OF  FAITH. 


whom  all  things  consist;  and  in  one  Holy 
Spirit,  proceeding  from  the  Father  and 
the  Son,  the  Reprover  of  the  world,  the 
Witness  for  Christ,  and  the  Teacher, 
Guide,-  and  Sanctifier  of  the  people  of 
God  ;  and  that  these  three  are  one  in  the 
eternal  Godhead  ;  to  whom  be  honor, 
praise,  and  thanksgiving,  now  and  for¬ 
ever.  Amen. 

THE  LORD  JESUS  CHRIST. 

It  is  with  reverence  and  thanksgiving 
that  we  profess  our  unwavering  allegiance 
to  our  Lord  and  Saviour,  Jesus  Christ. 
No  man  hath  seen  God  at  any  time  ;  the 
only  begotten  Son,  who  is  in  the  bosom 
of  the  Father,  He  hath  declared  Him.  In 
Him  was  life,  and  the  life  was  the  light 
of  men.  He  is  the  true  Light  which 
lighteth  every  man  that  cometli  into  the 
world  ;  through  whom  the  light  of  truth 
in  all  ages  has  proceeded  from  the  Father 
of  lights.  He  is  the  eternal  Word  who 
was  with  God  and  was  God,  revealing 
Himself  in  infinite  wisdom  and  love,  both 
as  man’s  Creator  and  Redeemer;  for  by 


DECLARATION  OF  FAITH. 


31 


Him  were  all  things  created  that  are  in 
heaven  and  that  are  in  earth,  visible  and 
invisible.  Conceived  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
born  of  the  virgin  Mary,  the  Word  was 
made  flesh  and  dwelt  amongst  men.  He 
came  in  the  fulness  of  the  appointed 
time,  being  verily  foreordained  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world, '  that  He  might 
fulfill  the  eternal  counsel  of  the  righteous¬ 
ness  and  love  of  God  for  the  redemption 
of  man.  In  Him  dwelleth  all  the  fulness 
of  the  Godhead  bodily.  Though  He  was 
rich,  yet,  for  our  sakes,  He  became  poor, 
veiling  in  the  form  of  a  servant  the  bright¬ 
ness  of  His  glory,  that  through  Him  the 
kindness  and  love  of  God  towards  man 
might  appear  in  a  manner  every  way  suited 
to  our  wants  and  finite  capacities.  He 
went  about  doing  good;  for  us  He  endured 
sorrow,  hunger,  thirst,  weariness,  pain, 
unutterable  anguish  of  body  and  of  soul, 
being  in  all  points  tempted  like  as  we  are, 
yet  without  sin.  Thus  humbling  Himself 
that  we  might  be  exalted,  He  emphatic¬ 
ally  recognized  the  duties  and  the  suffer¬ 
ings  of  humanity  as  amongst  the  means 


32 


DECLARATION  OF  FAITH. 


whereby,  through  the  obedience  of  faith,, 
we  are  to  be  disciplined  for  heaven,  sanc¬ 
tifying  them  to  us,  by  Himself  perform¬ 
ing  and  enduring  them,  leaving  us  the  one 
perfect  example  of  all  righteousness  in 
self-sacrificing  love. 

But  not  only  in  these  blessed  relations 
must  the  Lord  Jesus  be  ever  precious  to 
His  people.  In  Him  is  revealed  as  true 
God  and  perfect  man,  a  Redeemer,  at 
once  able  to  suffer  and  almighty  to  save. 
He  became  obedient  unto  death,  even  the 
death  of  the  cross,  and  is  the  propitiation 
for  our  sins,  and  not  for  ours  only,  but 
also  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world;  in 
whom  we  have  redemption  through  His 
blood,  the  forgiveness  of  sins  according 
to  the  riches  of  His  grace.  It  is  our  joy 
to  confess  that  the  remission  of  sins  which 
any  partake  of  is  only  in  and  by  virtue  of 
His  most  satisfactory  sacrifice  and  no 
otherwise.  He  was  buried  and  rose  again 
the  third  day,  according  to  the  Scriptures, 
becoming  the  first  fruits  of  them  that 
sleep,  and  having  shown  Himself  alive 
after  His  passion,  by  many  infallible 


DECLARATION  OF  FAITH. 


33 


proofs,  lie  ascended  into  heaven,  and  hath 
sat  down  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Majesty 
on  high,  now  to  appear  in  the  presence  of 
God  for  us.  With  the  apostles,  who  be¬ 
held  His  ascension,  we  rest  in  the  assur¬ 
ance  of  the  angelic  messengers,  “This 
same  Jesus,  which  is  taken  up  from  you 
into  heaven,  shall  so  come  in  like  manner 
as  ye  have  seen  him  go  into  heaven.’ r 
With  the  Apostle  John,  we  would  desire 
to  unite  in  the  words,  “Amen;  even  soT 
come,  Lord  Jesus.”  And  now,  whilst 
thus  watching  and  waiting,  we  rejoice  to> 
believe  that  He  is  our  King  and  Saviour. 
He  is  the  one  Mediator  of  the  new  and 
everlasting  covenant,  who  makes  peace 
and  reconciliation  between  God  offended 
and  man  offending;  the  great  High  Priest 
whose  priesthood  is  unchangeable.  He 
is  able  to  save  them  to  the  uttermost  that 
come  unto  God  by  Him,  seeing  He  ever 
livetli  to  make  intercession  for  them.  All 
power  is  given  unto  Him  in  heaven  and 
in  earth.  By  Him  the  world  shall  be 
judged  in  righteousness  ;  for  the  Father 
judgeth  no  man,  but  hath  committed  all 


3i  DECLARATION  OF  FAITH. 

judgment  unto  the  Son,  that  all  men 
should  honor  the  Son  even  as  they  honor 
the  Father.  All  that  are  in  the  graves 
shall  hear  His  voice,  and  shall  come  forth, 
they  that  have  done  good  unto  the  resur¬ 
rection  of  life,  and  they  that  have  done 
evil  unto  the  resurrection  of  judgment 
(R.  V.). 

We  reverently  confess  and  believe  that 
divine  honor  and  worship  are  due  to  the 
Son  of  God,  and  that  He  is  in  true  faith 
to  be  prayed  unto,  and  His  name  to  be 
called  upon,  as  the  primitive  Christians 
did,  because  of  the  glorious  oneness  of 
the  Father  and  the  Son  ;  and  that  we  can 
not  acceptably  otter  prayer  and  praises  to 
■God,  nor  receive  from  Him  a  gracious 
answer  or  blessing,  but  in  and  through 
His  dear  Son. 

We  would,  with  humble  thanksgiving, 
bear  an  especial  testimony  to  our  Lord's 
perpetual  dominion  and  power  in  His 
Church.  Through  Him  the  redeemed  in 
all  generations  have  derived  their  light, 
their  forgiveness,  and  their  joy.  All  are 
members  of  this  Church,  by  whatsoever 


DECLARATION  OF  FAITH. 


35 


name  they  may  be  called  amongst  men, 
■who  have  been  baptized  by  the  one  Spirit 
into  the  one  body;  who  are  budded  as 
living  stones  upon  Christ,  the  Eternal 
Foundation,  and  are  united  in  faith  and 
love  in  that  fellowship  which  is  with  the 
Father  and  with  the  Son.  Of  this  Church 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  the  alone  Head. 
All  its  true  members  are  made  one  in  Him. 
They  have  washed  their  robes  and  made 
them  white  in  His  precious  blood,  and  He 
has  made  them  priests  unto  God  and  His 
Father.  He  dwells  in  their  hearts  by 
faith,  and  gives  them  of  His  peace.  His 
will  is  their  law,  and  in  Him  they  enjoy 
the  true  liberty,  a  freedom  from  the  bond¬ 
age  of  sin. 

THE  HOLY  SPIRIT. 

We  believe  that  the  Holy  Spirit  is,  in 
the  unity  of  the  eternal  Godhead,  one 
with  the  Father  and  with  the  Son.  He  is 
the  Comforter  “Whom,”  saitli  Christ, 
*‘the  Father  will  send  in  My  name.”  He 
convinces  the  world  of  sin,  of  righteous¬ 
ness,  and  of  judgment.  He  testifies  of 


36 


DECLARATION  OF  FAITH. 


and  glorifies  Jesus.  It  is  the  Holy  Spirit 
who  makes  the  evil  manifest,  lie  quick¬ 
ens  them  that  are  dead  in  trespasses  and 
sins,  and  opens  the  inward  eye  to  behold 
the  Lamb  of  God  that  taketh  away  the 
sin  of  the  world.  Coming  in  the  name 
and  with  the  authority  of  the  risen  and 
ascended  Saviour,  He  is  the  precious 
pdedge  of  the  continued  love  and  care  of 
our  exalted  King.  He  takes  of  the  things, 
of  Christ  and  shows  them,  as  a  realized 
possession,  to  the  believing  soul.  Dwell¬ 
ing  in  the  hearts  of  believers,  He  opens- 
their  understandings  that  they  may  under¬ 
stand  the  Scriptures,  and  becomes,  to  the 
humble  and  surrendered  heart,  the  Guide, 
Comforter,  Support,  and  Sanctifier. 

We  believe  that  the  essential  qualifica¬ 
tion  for  the  Lord’s  sendee  is  bestowed 
upon  His  children  through  the  reception 
and  baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  This 
Holy  Spirit  is  the  seal  of  reconciliation  to 
the  believer  in  Jesus,  the  witness  to  his 
adoption  into  the  family  of  the  redeemed; 
the  earnest  and  the  foretaste  of  the  full 
communion  and  perfect  joy  which  are 


DECLARATION  OF  FAITH. 


37 


reserved  for  them  that  endure  unto 
d:he  end. 

We  own  no  principle  of  spiritual  light, 
life,  or  holiness,  inherent  by  nature  in  the 
mind  or  heart  of  man.  We  believe  in  no 
principle  of  spiritual  light,  life,  or  holi¬ 
ness,  but  the  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
of  God,  bestowed  on  mankind,  in  various 
measures  and  degrees,  through  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord.  It  is  the  capacity  to 
receive  this  blessed  influence,  which,  in 
an  especial  manner,  gives  man  pre-emi¬ 
nence  above  the  beasts  that  perish;  which 
distinguishes  him  in  every  nation  and  in 
every  clime,  as  an  object  of  the  redeem¬ 
ing  love  of  God  ;  as  a  being  not  only 
intelligent  but  responsible  ;  for  whom  the 
message  of  salvation  through  our  crucified 
Redeemer  is,  under  all  possible  circum¬ 
stances,  designed  to  be  a  joyful  sound. 
The  Holy  Spirit  must  ever  be  distinguished, 
both  from  the  conscience  which  He  enlight¬ 
ens,  and  from  the  natural  faculty  of  rea¬ 
son,  which, when  unsubjected  to  His  Holy 
influence,  is,  in  the  things  of  God,  very 
foolishness.  As  the  eye  is  to  the  body, 


38 


DECLARATION  OF  FAITH. 


so  is  the  conscience  to  our  inner  beings 
the  organ  by  which  we  see;  and,  as  both 
light  and  life  are  essential  to  the  eye,  so- 
conscience,  as  the  inward  eye,  cannot  see 
aright,  without  the  quickening  and  illu¬ 
mination  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  One 
with  the  Father  and  the  Son,  the  Holy 
Spirit  can  never  disown  or  dishonor  our 
once  crucified  and  now  risen  and  glorified 
Redeemer.  We  disavow  all  professed 
illumination  or  spirituality  that  is  divorced, 
from  faith  in  Jesus  Christ  of  Nazareth, 
crucified  for  us  without  the  gates  of  Jeru¬ 
salem. 


THE  HOLY  SCRFITURES. 

It  has  ever  been,  and  still  is,  the  belief 
of  the  Society  of  Friends,  that  the  Holjr 
Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testa¬ 
ment  were  given  by  inspiration  of  God 
that,  therefore,  there  can  be  no  appeal 
from  them  to  any  other  authority  whatso¬ 
ever;  that  they  are  able  to  make  wise 
unto  salvation,  through  faith  which  is  in 
Jesus  Christ.  ‘‘These  are  written  that  ye 
might  believe  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  the- 


DECLARATION  OF  FAITH. 


33 


Son  of  God;  and  that  believing  ye  might 
have  life  through  His  name.”  The  Scrip¬ 
tures  are  the  only  divinely  authorized  rec¬ 
ord  of  the  doctrines  which  we  are  bound", 
as  Christians,  to  accept,  and  of  the  moral 
principles  which  are  to  regulate  our  actions. 
Ho  one  can  be  required  to  believe,  as  an 
article  of  faith,  any  doctrine  which  Is?> 
not  contained  in  them;  and  whatsoever 
any  one  says  or  does,  contrary  to  the 
Scriptures,  though  under  profession  of  the. 
immediate  guidance  of  the  Holy  Spirit,, 
must  be  reckoned  and  accounted  a  mere 
delusion.  To  the  Christian,  the  Old  Tes¬ 
tament  comes  with  the  solemn  and  re¬ 
peated  attestation  of  his  Lord.  It  is  to 
be  read  in  the  light  and  completeness  of 
the  New;  thus  will  its  meaning  be  un¬ 
veiled,  and  the  humble  disciple  will  be- 
taught  to  discern  the  unity  and  mutual 
adaptation  of  the  whole,  and  the  many- 
sidedness  and  harmony  of  its  testimony 
to  Christ.  The  great  Inspirer  of  Scrip¬ 
ture  is  ever  its  true  Interpreter.  He  per¬ 
forms  this  office  in  condescending  love,, 
not  by  superseding  our  understandings. 


40 


DECLARATION  OF  FAITH. 


but  by  renewing  and  enlightening  them. 
Where  Christ  presides,  idle  speculation  is 
bushed  ;  His  doctrine  is  learned  in  the 
doing  of  His  will,  and  all  knowledge 
.ripens  into  a  deeper  and  richer  experience 
of  His  truth  and  love. 

xian’s  creation  and  fall. 

It  pleased  God,  in  His  wisdom  and 
goodness,  to  create  man  out  of  the  dust 
of  the  earth,  and  to  breathe  into  his  nos¬ 
trils  the  breath  of  life,  so  that  man  became 
a  living  soul;  formed  after  the  image 
.and  likeness  of  God,  capable  of  fulfilling 
the  divine  law,  and  of  holding  commun¬ 
ion  with  his  Maker.  Being  free  to  obey, 
or  to  disobey,  lie  fell  into  transgression 
through  unbelief,  under  the  temptation  of 
Satan,  and  thereby  lost  that  spiritual  life 
•of  righteousness,  in  which  he  was  created; 
and  so  death  passed  upon  him  as  the 
inevitable  consequence  of  sin.  As  the 
children  of  fallen  Adam  all  mankind  bear 
bis  image.  They  partake  of  his  nature, 
and  are  involved  in  the  consequences  of 
bis  fall.  To  every  member  of  every  sue- 


DECLARATION  OF  FAITH. 


41 


cessive  generation,  the  words  of  the  Re¬ 
deemer  are  alike  applicable,  “Ye  must  be 
born  again.”  Rut  while  we  hold  these 
views  of  the  lost  condition  of  man  in  the 
fall,  we  rejoice  to  believe  that  sin  is  not 
imputed  to  any  until  they  transgress  the 
divine  law,  after  sufficient  capacity  has 
been  given  to  understand  it;  and  that 
infants,  though  inheriting  this  fallen 
nature,  are  saved  in  the  infinite  mercy  of 
■God,  through  the  redemption  which  is  in 
Ghrist  Jesus. 

JUSTIFICATION  AND  SANCTIFICATION. 

“God  so  loved  the  world  that  he  gave 
His  only  begotton  Son,  that  whosoever 
believeth  in  Him  should  not  perish,  but 
have  everlasting  life.”  We  believe  that 
justification  isof  God’s  free  grace,  through 
which,  upon  repentance  and  faith,  He 
pardons  our  sins,  and  imparts  to  us  a  new 
life.  It  is  received,  not  for  aDy  works  of 
righteousness  that  we  have  done,  but  in 
the  unmerited  mercy  of  God  in  Christ 
Jesus.  Through  faith  in  Him,  and  the 
shedding  of  His  precious  blood,  the  guilt 


42 


DECLARATION  OF  FAITH. 


of  sin  is  taken  away,  and  we  stand  recon¬ 
ciled  to  God.  The  offering  up  of  Christ 
as  the  propitiation  for  the  sins  of  the 
whole  world,  is  the  appointed  manifesta¬ 
tion  both  of  the  righteousness  and  of  the 
love  of  God.  In  this  propitiation  the 
pardon  of  sin  involves  no  abrogation  or 
relaxation  of  the  lawT  of  holiness.  It  is 
the  vindication  and  establishment  of  that 
law,  in  virtue  of  the  free  and  righteous 
submission  of  the  Son  of  God  Himself  to 
all  its  requirements.  He,  the  unchange¬ 
ably  just,  proclaims  Himself  the  justifier 
of  him  that  belie veth  in  Jesus.  From 
age  to  age,  the  sufferings  and  death  of 
Christ  have  been  a  hidden  mystery,  and  a 
rock  of  offense  to  the  unbelief  and  pride 
of  man’s  fallen  nature;  yet,  to  the  hum¬ 
ble  penitent  whose  heart  is  broken  under 
the  convicting  power  of  the  Spirit,  life  is 
revealed  in  that  death.  As  he  looks  upon 
Him  who  was  wounded  for  our  transgres¬ 
sions,  and  upon  whom  the  Lord  was 
pleased  to  lay  the  iniquity  of  us  all,  his 
eye  is  more  and  more  opened  to  see,  and 
his  heart  to  understand,  the  exceeding  sin- 


DECLARATION  OF  FAITH. 


43 


fulness  of  sin  for  which  the  Saviour  died;, 
whilst  in  the  sense  of  pardoning  grace, 
he  will  joy  in  God  through  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  by  whom  we  have  now  received 
the  atonement. 

We  believe  that  in  connexion  with  jus¬ 
tification  is  regeneration:  that  they  who- 
come  to  this  experience  know  that  they 
are  not  their  own;  that  being  reconciled 
to  God  by  the  death  of  His  Son,  we  are- 
saved  by  His  life;  a  new  heart  is  given 
and  new  desires;  old  things  are  passed 
away,  and  we  become  new  creatures, 
through  faith  in  Christ  Jesus  ;  our  wills 
being  surrendered  to  His  holy  will,  grace 
reigns  through  righteousness,  unto  eternal 
life,  by  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 

Sanctification  is  experienced  in  the  ac¬ 
ceptance  of  Christ  in  living  faith  for  jus¬ 
tification,  in  so  far  as  the  pardoned  sinner, 
through  faith  in  Christ,  is  clothed  with  a 
measure  of  His  righteousness  and  receives 
the  Spirit  of  promise;  for,  as  saith  the 
Apostle,  “Ye  are  washed,  ye  are  sancti¬ 
fied,  ye  are  justified,  in  the  name  of  the- 
Lord  Jesus,  and  by  the  Spirit  of  our  God.n 


DECLARATION  OF  FAITH. 


44 

We  rejoice  to  believe  that  the  provisions 
•of  God's  grace  are  sufficient  to  deliver 
from  the  power,  as  well  as  from  the  guilt, 
of  sin,  and  to  enable  His  believing  chil¬ 
dren  always  to  triumph  in  Christ.  How 
full  of  encouragement  is  the  declaration, 
* ‘According  to  your  faith  be  it  unto  you.” 
Whosoever  submits  himself  wholly  to 
God,  believing  and  appropriating  His 
promises,  and  exercising  faith  in  Christ 
Jesus,  will  have  his  heart  continually 
-cleansed  from  all  sin  by  His  precious 
blood,  and,  through  the  renewing,  refining 
power  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  be  kept  in  con¬ 
formity  to  the  will  of  God,  will  love  Him 
with  all  his  heart,  mind,  soul  and  strength, 
and  be  able  to  say  with  the  Apostle  Paul, 
“The  law  of  the  Spirit  of  life  in  Christ 
Jesus  hath  made  me  free  from  the  law  of 
sin  and  death.”  Thus,  in  its  full  expe¬ 
rience,  sanctification  is  deliverance  from 
fhe  pollution,  nature,  and  love  of  sin.  To 
this  we  are  every  one  called,  that  we  may 
serve  the  Lord  without  fear,  in  holiness 
and  righteousness  before  Him,  all  the  days 
of  our  life.  It  was  the  prayer  of  the 


DECLARATION  OF  FAITH. 


45- 


Apostle  for  the  believers,  “The  very  God 
of  peace  sanctify  you  wholly;  and  I  pray 
God  your  whole  spirit  and  soul  and  body 
be  preserved  blameless  unto  the  coming- 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Faithful  is  he 
that  cal letli  you,  who  also  will  do  it.”  Yet 
the  most  holy  Christian  is  still  liable  to 
temptation,  is  exposed  to  the  subtle 
assaults  of  Satan,  and  can  only  continue 
to  follow  holiness  as  he  humbly  watches 
unto  prayer,  and  is  kept  in  constant 
dependence  upon  his  Saviour,  walking- 
in  the  light,  in  the  loving  obedience  of 
faith. 

THE  RESURRECTION  AND  FINAL  JUDGMENT. 

We  believe,  according  to  the  Scriptures, 
that  there  shall  be  a  resurrection  from  the 
dead,  both  of  the  just  and  of  the  unjust, 
and  that  God  hath  appointed  a  day  in 
which  He  will  judge  the  world  in  right¬ 
eousness,  by  Jesus  Christ  whom  lie  hath 
ordained.  For,  as  saith  the  Apostle, 
“We  must  all  appear  before  the  judgment 
seat  of  Christ,  that  every  one  may  receive 
the  things  done  in  his  body,  according  to 


40 


DECLARATION  OF  FAITH. 


that  lie  hath  done,  whether  it  be  good  or 
bad.” 

We  sincerely  believe,  not  only  a  resur¬ 
rection  in  Christ  from  the  fallen  and  sinful 
state  here,  but  a  rising  and  ascending  into 
glory  with  Him  hereafter;  that  when  He 
at  last  appears  we  may  appear  with  Him 
in  glory.  But  that  all  the  wicked,  who 
live  in  rebellion  against  the  light  of  grace, 
and  die  finally  impenitent,  shall  come 
forth  to  the  resurrection  of  condemnation. 
And  that  the  soul  of  every  man  and 
woman  shall  be  reserved,  in  its  own  dis¬ 
tinct  and  proper  being,  and  shall  have 
its  proper  body  as  God  is  pleased  to  give 
it.  It  is  sown  a  natural  body,  it  is  raised 
a  spiritual  body;  that  being  first  which  is 
natural,  and  afterward  that  which  is  spir¬ 
itual.  And  though  it  is  said,  “This  cor¬ 
ruptible  shall  put  on  incorruption,  and 
this  mortal  shall  put  on  immortality,”  the 
change  shall  be  such  as  will  accord  with 
the  declaration,  “Flesh  and  blood  can 
not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God,  neither 
doth  corruption  inherit  incorruption.”  We 
shall  be  raised  out  of  all  corruption  and 


DECLARATION  OF  FAITH. 


47 


corruptibility,  out  of  all  mortality,  and 
shall  be  the  children  of  God,  being  the 
children  of  resurrection. 

“Our  citizenship  is  in  heaven”  (R.  V.), 
from  whence  also  we  look  for  the  Saviour, 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  shall  change 
our  vile  body  that  it  may  be  fashioned 
like  unto  His  glorious  body,  according  to 
the  working  whereby  He  is  able  even  to 
subdue  all  things  unto  Himself. 

We  believe  that  the  punishment  of  the 
wicked  and  the  blessedness  of  the  righteous 
shall  be  everlasting,  according  to  the  dec¬ 
laration  of  our  compassionate  Redeemer, 
to  whom  the  judgment  is  committed, 
“These  shall  go  away  into  eternal  punish¬ 
ment,  but  the  righteous  into  eternal  life” 
(R.  V.). 

BAPTISM. 

We  would  express  our  continued  con¬ 
viction  that  our  Lord  appointed  no  out¬ 
ward  rite  or  ceremony  for  observance  in 
His  Church.  We  accept  every  command 
of  our  Lord  in  what  we  believe  to  be  its 
genuine  import,  as  absolutely  conclusive. 


48 


DECLARATION  OF  FAITH. 


The  question  of  the  use  of  outward  ordi¬ 
nances  is  with  us  a  question,  not  as  to  the 
authority  of  Christ,  but  as  to  His  real 
meaning.  We  reverently  believe  that,  as 
there  is  one  Lord  and  one  faith,  so  there 
is,  under  the  Christian  dispensation,  but 
one  baptism,  even  that  whereby  all  be¬ 
lievers  are  baptized  in  the  one  Spirit  into 
the  one  body.  This  is  not  an  outward 
baptism  with  water,  but  a  spiritual  expe¬ 
rience  ;  not  the  putting  away  of  the  filth 
of  the  flesh,  but  that  inward  work  which, 
by  transforming  the  heart  and  settling  the 
soul  upon  Christ,  brings  forth  the  answer 
of  a  good  conscience  towards  God,  by  the 
resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ,  in  the  ex¬ 
perience  of  His  love  and  power,  as  the 
risen  and  ascended  Saviour.  Ho  baptism 
in  outward  water  can  satisfy  the  descrip¬ 
tion  of  the  Apostle,  of  being  buried  with 
Christ  by  baptism  unto  death.  It  is  with 
the  Spirit  alone  that  any  can  be  thus  bap¬ 
tized.  In  this  experience  the  announce¬ 
ment  of  the  Forerunner  of  our  Lord  is 
fulfilled,  “He  shall  baptize  you  with  the 
Holy  Ghost  and  with  fire.”  In  this  view 


DECLARATION  OF  FAITH. 


49 

we  accept  the  commission  of  our  blessed 
Lord  as  given  in  Matthew  xxviii.  18th,  19tli 
and  20th  verses:  “And  Jesus  came  to 
them  and  spake  unto  them  saying  :  All 
authority  has  been  given  unto  me  in  heaven 
and  on  earth.  Go  ye  therefore,  and  make 
disciples  of  all  the  nations,  baptizing 
them  into  the  name  of  the  Father  and  of 
the  Son  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost  ;  teaching 
them  to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  I 
commanded  you,  and,  lo,  I  am  with  you 
alway,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world’ ' 
(R.  V.).  This  commission,  as  we  believe, 
was  not  designed  to  set  up  a  new  ritual 
under  the  new  covenant,  or  to  connect  the 
initiation  into  a  membership,  in  its  nature 
essentially  spiritual,  with  a  mere  ceremony 
of  a  typical  character.  Otherwise  it  was 
not  possible  for  the  Apostle  Paul,  who 
was  not  a  whit  behind  the  very  chiefest 
apostles,  to  have  disclaimed  that  which 
would,  in  that  case,  have  been  of  the 
essence  of  his  commission  when  he  wrote, 
“Christ  sent  me  not  to  baptize,  but  to 
preach  the  Gospel.”  Whenever  an  exter¬ 
nal  ceremony  is  commanded,  the  particu- 


50 


DECLARATION  OF  FAITH. 


lars,  the  mode  and  incidents  of  that  cere¬ 
mony,  become  of  its  essence.  There  is 
an  utter  absence  of  these  particulars  in 
the  text  before  us,  which  confirms  our 
persuasion  that  the  commission  must  be 
construed  in  connection  with  the  spiritual 
power  which  the  risen  Lord  promised 
should  attend  the  witness  of  His  apostles 
and  of  the  Church  to  Him,  and  which, 
after  Pentecost,  so  mightily  accompanied 
their  ministry  of  the  word  and  prayer, 
that  those  to  whom  they  were  sent  were 
introduced  into  an  experience  wherein 
they  had  a  saving  knowledge  of,  and 
living  fellowship  with,  the  Father  and  the 
Son  and  the  Holy  Spirit. 

THE  SUPPER  OF  THE  LORD. 

Intimately  connected  with  the  convic¬ 
tion  already  expressed  is  the  view  that  we 
have  ever  maintained  as  to  the  true  supper 
of  the  Lord.  We  are  well  aware  that  our 
Lord  was  pleased  to  make  use  of  a  variety 
of  symbolical  utterances,  but  He  often 
gently  upbraided  His  disciples  for  accept¬ 
ing  literally  what  He  had  intended  only 


DECLARATION  OF  FAITH. 


51 


In  its  spiritual  meaning.  His  teaching,  as 
in  His  parables  or  in  the  command  to 
wash  one  another’s  feet,  was  often  in  sym¬ 
bols,  and  ought  ever  to  be  received  in  the 
light  of  His  own  emphatic  declaration, 
•‘The  words  that  I  speak  unto  you,  they 
are  spirit  and  they  are  life.”  The  old 
■covenant  was  full  of  ceremonial  symbols  ; 
the  new  covenant,  to  which  our  Saviour 
alluded  at  the  last  supper,  is  expressly  de¬ 
clared  by  the  prophet  to  be  “not  accord¬ 
ing  to  the  old.”  We  cannot  believe  that 
in  setting  up  this  new  covenant  the  Lord 
Jesus  intended  an  institution  out  of  har¬ 
mony  with  the  spirit  of  this  prophecy. 
The  eating  of  His  body  and  the  drinking  of 
His  blood  cannot  be  an  outward  act.  They 
truly  partake  of  them  who  habitually  rest 
upon  the  sufferings  and  death  of  their 
Lord  as  their  only  hope,  and  to  whom  the 
indwelling  Spirit  gives  to  drink  of  the 
fulness  that  is  in  Christ.  It  is  this  inward 
and  spiritual  partaking  that  is  the  true 
supper  of  the  Lord. 

The  presence  of  Christ  with  His  Church 
is  not  designed  to  be  by  symbol  or  repre- 


52 


DECLARATION  OF  FAITH. 


sentation,  but  in  the  real  communication 
of  His  own  Spirit.  “I  will  pray  tlie 
Father  and  He  shall  give  you  another 
Comforter,  who  shall  abide  with  you  for¬ 
ever.”  Convincing  of  sin,  testifying  of 
Jesus,  taking  of  the  things  of  Christ,  this 
blessed  Comforter  communicates  to  the 
believer  and  to  the  Church,  in  a  gracious, 
abiding  manifestation,  the  REAL  PRES¬ 
ENCE  of  the  Lord.  As  the  great  remem¬ 
brancer,  through  whom  the  promise  is 
fulfilled,  He  needs  no  ritual  or  priestly 
intervention  in  bringing  to  the  experience 
of  the  true  commemoration  and  commun¬ 
ion.  “Behold,”  saith  the  risen  Redeem¬ 
er,  “I  stand  at  the  door  and  knock.  If 
any  man  hear  my  voice  and  open  the  door, 
I  will  come  in  and  sup  with  him  and  he 
with  me.”  In  an  especial  manner,  when 
assembled  for  congregational  worship,  are 
believers  invited  to  the  festival  of  the  Sav¬ 
iour’s  peace,  and  in  a  united  act  of  faith 
and  love,  unfettered  by  any  outward  rite 
or  ceremonial,  to  partake  together  of  the 
body  that  was  broken  and  of  the  blood 
that  was  shed  for  them,  without  the  gates 


DECLARATION  OF  FAITH. 


53 


of  Jerusalem.  In  such  a  worship  they 
are  enabled  to  understand  the  words  of 
the  apostle  as  expressive  of  a  sweet  and 
most  real  experience:  “The  cup  of  bless 
ing  which  we  bless,  is  it  not  the  commun¬ 
ion  of  the  blood  of  Christ?  The  bread 
that  we  break,  is  it  not  the  communion  of 
the  body  of  Christ?  For  we,  being  many, 
are  one  bread  and  one  body;  for  we  are 
all  partakers  of  that  one  bread.” 

PUBLIC  WORSHIP. 

Worship  is  the  adoring  response  of  the 
heart  and  mind  to  the  influence  of  the 
Spirit  of  God.  It  stands  neither  in  forms 
nor  in  the  formal  disuse  of  forms.  It  may 
be  without  words  as  well  as  with  them, 
but  it  must  be  in  spirit  and  in  truth.  We 
recognize  the  value  of  silence,  not  as  an 
end,  but  as  a  means  toward  the  attain¬ 
ment  of  the  end;  a  silence,  not  of  listless¬ 
ness  or  of  vacant  musing,  but  of  holy 
expectation  before  the  Lord.  Having 
become  His  adopted  children  through  faith 
in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  it  is  our  privi¬ 
lege  to  meet  together  and  unite  in  the 


54 


DECLARATION  OF  FAITH. 


worship  of  Almighty  God,  to  wait  upon 
Him  for  the  renewal  of  our  strength,  for 
communion  one  with  another,  for  the  dec¬ 
laration  of  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation  to 
the  unconverted  who  may  gather  with  us_ 
This  worship  depends  not  upon  numbers. 
Where  two  or  three  are  gathered  together 
in  the  name  of  Christ  there  is  a  church, 
and  Christ,  the  living  Head,  in  the  midst 
of  them.  Through  His  mediation,  with¬ 
out  the  necessity  for  any  inferior  instru¬ 
mentality,  is  the  Father  to  be  approached 
and  reverently  worshiped.  The  Lord  Jesus 
has  forever  fulfilled  and  ended  the  typical 
and  sacrificial  worship  under  the  law,  by 
the  offering  up  of  Himself  upon  the  cross 
for  us,  once  for  all.  He  has  opened  the 
door  of  access  into  the  inner  sanctuary, 
and  graciously  provides  spiritual  offerings 
for  the  service  of  His  temple,  suited  t» 
the  several  conditions  of  all  who  worship 
in  spirit  and  in  truth.  The  broken  and 
the  contrite  heart,  the  confession  of  the 
soul  prostrate  before  God,  the  prayer  of 
the  afflicted  when  he  is  overwhelmed, 
the  earnest  wrestling  of  the  spirit,  the 


DECLARATION  OF  FAITH. 


55 


outpouring  of  humble  thanksgiving,  the 
spiritual  song  and  melody  of  the  heart, 
the  simple  exercise  of  faith,  the  self-deny¬ 
ing  service  of  love,  these  are  among  the 
sacrifices  which  He,  our  merciful  and 
faithful  High  Priest,  is  pleased  to  prepare, 
by  His  Spirit,  in  the  hearts  of  them  that 
receive  Him,  and  to  present  with  accept¬ 
ance  unto  God. 

By  the  immediate  operations  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  He,  as  the  Head  of  the  Church, 
alone  selects  and  qualifies  those  who  are  to 
present  His  messages  or  engage  in  other 
service  for  Him,  and,  hence,  we  cannot 
commit  any  formal  arrangement  to  any 
one  in  our  regular  meetings  for  worship. 
We  are  well  aware  that  the  Lord  has  pro¬ 
vided  a  diversity  of  gifts  for  the  needs, 
both  of  the  Church  and  of  the  world,  and 
we  desire  that  the  Church  may  feel  her 
responsibility,  under  the  government  of 
her  Great  Head,  in  doing  her  part  to  foster 
these  gifts,  and  in  making  arrangements 
for  their  proper  exercise. 

It  is  not  for  individual  exaltation,  but 
for  mutual  profit,  that  the  gifts 


are 


56 


DECLARATION  OF  FAITH. 


ibestowed;  and  every  living  church,  abid¬ 
ing  under  the  government  of  Christ,  is 
humbly  and  thankfully  to  receive  and 
•exercise  them,  in  subjection  to  her  Holy 
Head.  The  church  that  quenches  the 
.Spirit  and  lives  to  itself  alone  must  die. 

We  believe  the  preaching  of  the  Gos¬ 
pel  to  be  one  of  the  chief  means,  divinely 
appointed,  for  the  spreading  of  the  glad 
tidings  of  life  and  salvation  through  our 
crucified  Redeemer,  for  the  awakening 
and  conversion  of  sinners,  and  for  the 
comfort  and  edification  of  believers.  As 
it  is  the  prerogative  of  the  Great  Head  of 
the  Church  alone  to  select  and  call  the 
ministers  of  His  Gospel,  so  we  believe 
that  both  the  gift  and  the  qualification  to 
exercise  it  must  be  derived  immediately 
from  Him;  and  that,  as  in  the  primitive 
Church,  so  now  also,  He  confers  spiritual 
gifts  upon  women  as  well  as  upon  men, 
.agreeably  to  the  prophecy  recited  by  the 
Apostle  Peter,  “It  shall  come  to  pass  in 
the  last  days,  saith  God,  I  will  pour  out 
of  my  Spirit  upon  all  flesh;  and  your 
sons  and  your  daughters  shall  prophesy;’’ 


DECLARATION  OF  FAITH. 


57 


respecting  which  the  apostle  declares, 
“the  promise  is  unto  you,  and  to  your 
children,  and  to  all  that  are  afar  off,  even 
as  many  as  the  Lord  our  God  shall  call.” 
As  the  gift  is  freely  received,  so  it  is  to 
be  freely  exercised,  in  simple  obedience 
to  the  will  of  God. 

Spiritual  gifts,  precious  as  they  are, 
must  not  be  mistaken  for  grace;  they  add 
to  our  responsibility,  but  do  not  raise  the 
minister  above  his  brethren  or  sisters. 
They  must  be  exercised  in  continued 
dependence  upon  our  Lord,  and  blessed 
is  that  ministry  in  which  man  is  humbled, 
and  Christ  and  His  grace  exalted.  “He 
that  is  greatest  among  you,”  said  our 
Lord  and  Master,  “let  him  be  as  the 
younger;  and  he  that  is  chief  as  he  that 
doth  serve.  I  am  among  you  as  he  that 
serveth. ” 

While  the  church  cannot  confer  spiritual 
gifts,  it  is  its  duty  to  recognize  and  foster 
them,  and  to  promote  their  efficiency  by 
all  the  means  in  its  power.  And  while, 
on  the  one  hand,  the  Gospel  should  never 
be  preached  for  money,  on  the  other,  it  is 


58 


DECLARATION  OF  FAITH. 


the  duty  of  the  church  to  make  such  pro¬ 
vision  that  it  shall  never  be  hindered  for 
want  of  it. 

The  Church,  if  true  to  her  allegiance, 
cannot  forget  her  part  in  the  command, 
“Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach 
the  Gospel  to  every  creature.”  Know¬ 
ing  that  it  is  the  Spirit  of  God  that  can 
alone  prepare  and  qualify  the  instruments 
who  fulfill  this  command,  the  true  disciple 
will  be  found  still  sitting  at  the  feet  of 
Jesus,  listening  that  he  may  learn,  and 
learning  that  he  may  obey.  He  humbly 
places  himself  at  his  Lord’s  disposal,  and 
when  he  hears  the  call,  “Whom  shall  I 
send,  and  who  will  go  for  us?”  is  prepared 
to  respond,  in  child-like  reverence  and 
love,  “Here  am  I,  send  me.” 

PRAYER  AND  PRAISE. 

Prayer  is  the  outcome  of  our  sense  of 
need,  and  of  our  continual  dependence 
upon  God.  He  who  uttered  the  invitation, 
“Ask  and  it  shall  be  given  you,”  is  Him¬ 
self  the  Mediator  and  High  Priest  who, 
by  His  Spirit,  prompts  the  petition  and 


DECLARATION  OF  FAITH. 


59- 


who  presents  it  with  acceptance  before 
God.  With  such  an  invitation,  prayer 
becomes  the  duty  and  the  privilege  of  all 
who  are  called  by  His  name.  Prayer  is, 
in  the  awakened  soul,  the  utterance  of  the 
cry,  “God  be  merciful  to  me,  a  sinner;” 
and,  at  every  stage  of  the  believer’s 
course,  prayer  is  essential  to  his  spiritual 
life.  A  life  without  prayer  is  a  life  prac¬ 
tically  without  God.  The  Christian’s  life 
is  a  continual  asking.  The  thirst  that 
prompts  the  petition  produces,  as  it  is  sat¬ 
isfied,  still  deeper  longings,  which  prepare 
for  yet  more  bounteous  supplies,  from 
Him  who  delights  to  bless.  Prayer  is  not 
confined  to  the  closet.  When  uttered  in 
response  to  the  promptings  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  it  becomes  an  important  part  of 
public  worship,  and,  whenever  the  Lord’s 
people  meet  together  in  His  name,  it  is 
their  privilege  to  wait  upon  Him  for  the 
spirit  of  grace  and  supplication.  A  life 
of  prayer  cannot  be  other  than  a  life  of 
praise.  As  the  peace  of  Christ  reigns  in 
the  Church,  her  living  members  accept  all 
that  they  receive,  as  from  His  pure  bounty. 


'CO 


DECLARATION  OF  FAITH. 


and  each  day  brings  them  fresh  pledges 
of  their  Father’s  love.  Satisfied  with  the 
goodness  of  Ilis  house,  whether  as  indi¬ 
viduals,  as  families,  or  as  congregations, 
they  will  be  still  praising  Him,  heart 
answering  to  heart,  “Bless  the  Lord,  O 
my  soul:  and  all  that  is  within  me,  bless 
His  holy  name.” 

LIBERTY  OF  CONSCIENCE  IN  ITS  RELATION 
TO  CIVIL  GOVERNMENT. 

That  conscience  should  be  free,  and  that 
in  matters  of  religious  doctrine  and  wor¬ 
ship  man  is  accountable  to  God,  are  truths 
which  are  plainly  declared  in  the  New 
Testament,  and  which  are  confirmed  by 
the  whole  scope  of  the  Gospel,  and  by  the 
example  of  our  Lord  and  His  disciples. 
To  rule  over  the  conscience,  and  to  com¬ 
mand  the  spiritual  allegiance  of  His  crea¬ 
ture  man,  is  the  high  and  sacred  prerogative 
of  God  alone.  In  religion  every  act  ought 
to  be  free.  A  forced  worship  is  plainly  a 
contradiction  in  terms,  under  that  dispen¬ 
sation  in  which  the  worship  of  the  Father 
must  be  in  spirit  and  in  truth. 


DECLARATION  OF  FAITH. 


61 


We  have  ever  maintained  that  it  is  the 
duty  of  Christians  to  obey  the  enactments 
of  civil  government,  except  those  which 
interfere  with  our  allegiance  to  God.  We 
owe  much  to  its  blessing.  Through  it  we 
enjoy  liberty  and  protection,  in  connection 
with  law  and  order.  Civil  government  is 
a  divine  ordinance,  instituted  to  promote 
the  best  welfare  of  man,  hence  magistrates 
are  to  be  regarded  as  God’s  ministers,  who 
should  be  a  terror  to  evil  doers  and  a  praise 
to  them  that  do  well.  Therefore,  it  is  with 
us  a  matter  of  conscience  to  render  them 
respect  and  obedience  in  the  exercise  of 
their  proper  functions. 

MARRHAGE. 

Marriage  is  an  institution  graciously 
ordained  by  the  Creator  Himself  for  the 
help  and  continuance  of  the  human  family. 
It  is  not  a  mere  civil  contract,  and  ought 
never  to  be  entered  upon  without  a  refer¬ 
ence  to  the  sanction  and  blessing  of  Him 
who  ordained  it.  It  is  a  solemn  engage¬ 
ment  for  the  term  of  life,  designed  for 
the  mutual  assistance  and  comfort  of  both 


62 


DECLARATION  OF  FAITH. 


sexes,  that  they  may  be  helpmeets  to  each 
other  in  things  temporal  and  spiritual. 
To  this  end  it  should  imply  concurrence 
in  spiritual  as  well  as  temporal  concerns, 
and  should  be  entered  upon  discreetly, 
soberly,  and  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord. 

PEACE. 

We  feel  bound  explicitly  to  avow  our 
unshaken  persuasion  that  all  war  is  utterly 
incompatible  with  the  plain  precepts  of 
our  divine  Lord  and  Lawgiver,  and  the 
whole  spirit  of  His  Gospel,  and  that  no 
plea  of  necessity  or  policy,  however  urgent 
or  peculiar,  can  avail  to  release  either 
individuals  or  nations  from  the  paramount 
allegiance  which  they  owe  to  Him  who 
hath  said,  “Love  your  enemies.”  In 
enjoining  this  love,  and  the  forgiveness 
of  injuries,  He  who  has  brought  us  to 
Himself  has  not  prescribed  for  man  pre¬ 
cepts  which  are  incapable  of  being  carried 
into  practice,  or  of  which  the  practice  is  to 
be  postponed  until  all  shall  be  persuaded 
to  act  upon  them. 

We  cannot  doubt  that  they  are  incum- 


DECLARATION  OF  FAITH. 


63 


bant  now,  and  that  we  have  in  the  pro¬ 
phetic  Scriptures  the  distinct  intimation 
of  their  direct  application,  not  only  to 
individuals,  but  to  nations  also.  When 
nations  conform  their  laws  to  this  divine 
teaching,  wars  must  necessarily  cease. 

We  would,  in  humility,  but  in  faithful¬ 
ness  to  our  Lord,  express  our  firm  per¬ 
suasion  that  all  the  exigencies  of  civil 
governinant  and  social  order  may  be  met 
under  the  banner  of  the  Prince  of  Peace, 
in  strict  conformity  with  His  commands. 

OATHS. 

We  hold  it  to  be  the  inalienable  priv¬ 
ilege  of  the  disciple  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
that  His  statements  concerning  matters 
of  fact  within  his  knowledge  should  be 
accepted,  under  all  circumstances,  as  ex¬ 
pressing  his  belief  as  to  the  fact  asserted. 
We  rest  upon  the  plain  command  of  our 
Lord  and  Master,  “Swear  not  at  all;”  and 
we  believe  any  departure  from  this  standard 
to  be  prejudicial  to  the  cause  of  truth  and 
to  that  confidence  between  man  and  man, 
the  maintenance  of  which  is  indispensable 


DECLARATION  OF  FAITH. 


64 

to  our  mutual  well-being.  This  command, 
in  our  persuasion,  applies  not  to  profane 
swearing  only,  but  to  judicial  oaths  also. 
It  abrogates  any  previous  permission  to 
the  contrary,  and  is,  for  the  Christian, 
absolutely  conclusive. 

THE  FIRST  DAY  OF  THE  WEEK. 

Whilst  the  remembrance  of  our  Creator 
ought  to  be,  at  all  times,  present  with  the 
Christian,  we  would  express  our  thank¬ 
fulness  to  our  Heavenly  Father  that  He 
has  been  pleased  to  honor  the  setting 
apart  of  one  day  in  seven  for  the  purposes 
of  holy  rest,  religious  duties,  and  public 
worship;  and  we  desire  that  all  under 
our  name  may  avail  themselves  of  this 
great  privilege,  as  those  who  are  called  to 
be  risen  witli  Christ,  and  to  seek  those 
things  that  are  above,  where  He  sittetli  at 
the  right  hand  of  God.  May  the  release 
thus  granted  from  other  occupations  be 
diligently  improved.  On  this  day  of  the 
week  especially  ought  the  households  of 
Friends  to  be  assembled  for  the  reading 
of  the  Scriptures  and  for  waiting  upon 


DECLARATION  OF  FAITH. 


65 


tli 3  Lord;  and  we  trust  that,  in  a  Chris- 
tianly  wise  economy  of  our  time  and 
strength,  the  engagements  of  the  day  may 
be  so  ordered  as  not  to  frustrate  the  gra¬ 
cious  provision  thus  made  for  us  by  our 
Heavenly  Father,  or  to  shut  out  the  oppor¬ 
tunity  either  for  public  worship  or  for  pri¬ 
vate  retirement  and  devotional  reading. 

In  presenting  this  declaration  of  our 
Christian  faith,  we  desire  that  all  our 
members  may  be  afresh  encouraged,  in 
humility  and  devotedness,  to  renewed 
faithfulness  in  fulfilling  their  part  in  the 
great  mission  of  the  Church,  and  through 
the  Church  to  the  world  around  us,  in  the 
name  of  our  crucified  .Redeemer.  Life 
from  Christ,  life  in  Christ,  must  ever  be 
the  basis  of  life  for  Christ.  For  this  we 
have  been  created  and  redeemed,  and,  by 
this  alone,  can  the  longings  of  our  im¬ 
mortal  souls  be  satisfied. 


The  Form  of  Government. 


THE  FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  CHURCH. 

Tlie  Church  of  Christ  is  spiritual  and 
consists  of  all  who  are  born  of  the  Spirit. 
But  in  this  world  it  is  also  an  organization, 
consisting  of  all  those  Christians,  together 
with  their  children,  who  voluntarily  asso¬ 
ciate  themselves  together  in  separate 
churches,  or  in  societies  of  churches,  for 
fellowship,  for  divine  worship,  for  the 
promotion  of  truth  and  righteousness,  and 
for  the  edification  and  oversight  one  of 
another.  As  Christ  is  the  Head  of  the 
spiritual  and  invisible,  so  He  is  the  Head 
of  the  organized  and  visible  Church.  In 
all  her  assemblies  of  every  kind  all  mem¬ 
bers  of  His  Church  should,  therefore, 
cheerfully  heed  the  precept  of  our  Lord, 
“One  is  your  Teacher,  even  Christ,  and 


70 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


all  ye  are  brethren.”  All  are  to  submit 
themselves  one  to  another  in  the  fear  of 
Christ. 

Yet  our  blessed  Saviour,  as  at  first,  calls 
those  who  shall  be  ministers  of  His  word, 
and  elders  in  the  churches,  whom  He 
qualifies  and  puts  forth  to  preach  and  to 
teach,  and  to  tend  the  flock  of  God,  exer¬ 
cising  the  oversight,  for  the  edification  of 
the  Church.  Likewise,  it  is  His  will,  that 
the  Church,  as  at  the  beginning,  should 
choose,  under  the  guidance  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  these  and  other  officers,  who,  with 
the  above,  as  examples  of  life  and  good 
works,  shall  administer  the  affairs  of  the 
Church,  for  preservation  in  faith  and 
unity,  and  against  the  unfaithful,  the  im¬ 
moral,  the  schismatic  and  the  lifeless  pro¬ 
fessor,  that  such  may  be  restored,  and 
that  all  may  be  built  up  on  their  most  holy 
faith.  Hence  we  have  the  injunction, 
“Obey  them  that  have  the  rule  over  you, 
and  submit  to  them  :  for  they  watch  in 
behalf  of  your  souls,  as  they  that  shall  give 
account  ;  that  they  may  do  this  with  joy, 
and  not  with  grief.”  And,  “Ye  younger, 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


71 


be  subject  unto  the  elder.  Yea,  all  of  you 
gird  yourselves  with  humility.” 

From  the  foregoing  grounds  the  follow¬ 
ing  principles  are  clearly  deducible  : 

1.  That  the  rights  of  private  judgment 
in  doctrine,  the  manner  of  worship,  the 
form  of  government  and  the  methods  of 
promulgating  the  truth  are  matters  of 
conscience  in  which  man  is  accountable 
to  God  only. 

2.  That  the  same  rights  belong  to  every 
Christian  church,  or  to  every  association 
of  churches,  so  that  each  may  determine 
the  terms  of  admission  into  fellowship, 
the  qualifications  of  its  membership  and 
of  its  ministers  and  other  officers,  and  its 
entire  system  of  polity. 

3.  That,  consistently  with  these  rights, 
is  the  highest  obligation  upon  Chris¬ 
tians  to  maintain  the  truth  against  error. 
For  truth  is  in  order  to  holiness  ;  faith 
and  practice,  truth  and  duty,  are  insep¬ 
arable. 

4.  That  Friends  believe  it  to  be  the 
will  of  God  that  they  shall  steadfastly 
maintain  the  scriptural  form  of  govern- 


72 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


ment,  which  the  founders  of  the  Society 
adopted  under  Christ. 

o.  That,  while  members  who  are  of 
the  best  Christian  character  in  the  same 
society  may  differ,  it  is  necessary  to  unite 
in  making  effectual  provision  that  only 
teachers  sound  in  the  faith  be  admitted 
and  retained. 

6.  That  the  Holy  Scriptures  are  the 
only  rule  of  faith  and  practice,  and  that 
regulations  and  decisions  of  a  church,  or 
a  society  of  churches,  can  bind  the  con¬ 
science  only  in  so  far  as  they  are  founded 
upon  the  revealed  will  of  God. 

7.  That  the  foregoing  principles  and 
rights,  founded  upon  the  truth,  themselves 
constitute  the  unmistakable  obligation 
upon  all  members  of  churches  and  soci¬ 
eties  of  churches  cheerfully  to  submit  in 
harmony  with  their  branch  of  the  Church, 
as  a  member  of  the  body  of  Christ.  Faith 
in  Christ  must  ever  form  the  basis  of 
loyalty  to  the  Church. 

8.  Constituted  as  above  indicated  and 
holding  the  principles  herein  set  forth, 
the  Society  of  Friends,  consisting  of 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


73 


various  meetings  in  their  order  and  many 
particular  churches,  is  a  distinct  branch  of 
the  Church  of  Christ. 


CHAPTER  II. 

OFFICERS  IN  THE  CHURCH. 

The  permanent  officers  of  the  Church 
are  the  Elders,  including  Ministers  and 
other  Elders.  In  no  offices  of  the  Church 
is  there  any  distinction  as  to  sex.  The 
choice  of  Elders  of  both  classes  is  based 
upon  moral  character  and  the  possession 
of  spiritual  gifts  and  qualifications. 

ELDERS. 

The  Elders  in  any  church  constitute  the 
pastoral  body  and  have  the  spiritual  over¬ 
sight  and  care  of  the  members.  In  their 
particular  churches  they  are  all  of  equal 
station  and  authority.*  But  certain  cliar- 


*  In  Scripture  they  received  different  names  indicat¬ 
ing  their  various  duties.  Since  they  have  the  overs  ight 
of  the  flock  of  Christ  they  are  called  overseers,  or  bishops. 
Since  they  feed  the  flock  they  are  called  pastors.  Since 
they  instruct  in  sound  doctrine  they  arc  called  teachers. 
Since  they  are  to  be  examples  and  ensamples  of  flic  flock 
in  gravity  and  prudence,  and  to  govern  well  in  the  house 
of  God,  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  they  are  called  presbyters, 
or  elders. 


74 


FOKM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


acteristics  and  qualifications,  particularly 
tlie  nature  and  measure  of  their  gifts, 
divide  the  Elders  into  two  classes,  Minis¬ 
ters  and  other  Elders  (1  Tim.  v.  17.)* 

Ministers. 


1.  Ministers  are  elders  who  possess 
the  additional  special  gift  of  the  ministry  of 
the  Gospel. f  By  virtue  of  ministerial  gifts 
the  minister  or  ministers,  therefore,  chosen 
by  any  church,  fill  the  foremost  place  in 
the  worship  and  work  of  the  congrega¬ 
tion;  yet  they  are  only  equal  in  station 
and  authority  among  the  elders,  and  in 
the  church  they  are  servants  of  all  (1 
Peter  i.  1).  Having  the  approval  first 
of  the  eldership,  or  pastoral  body,  and 
then  of  the  church,  they  speak  and  act 


*  This  scriptural  classification  having  been  here  made, 
the  two  classes  of  elders  will  hereafter  receive  the  cur¬ 
rent.  titles,  ministers  and  elders. 

+  This  is  indicated  in  Scripture  by  the  names  the 
minister  obtained.  As  bearing  the  messages  of  God  he  is 
termed  a  messenger,  or  an  apostle  (Mai.  ii.  7;  2  Cor.  viii. 
23;  Phil.  ii.  25).  As  clothed  with  authority  to  proclaim 
to  a  world  of  sinners  the  will  of  God,  in  order  to  recon¬ 
cile  them  to  Him,  he  is  termed  an  ambassador.  As  ex¬ 
pounding  the  wisdom  and  counsel  of  God  he  is  termed  a 
steward  of  the  manifold  grace  and  of  the  mysteries  of 
God  (Luke  xii.  42;  1  Cor.  iv.  1,  2).  As  engaged  in  the 
special  work  of  evangelization  and  ingathering  he  is 
termed  an  evangelist  (1  Tim.  iv.  6). 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


75 


with  their  authority.  While  they  share, 
with  all  the  elders  of  the  church,  the 
oversight  and  pastoral  care,  in  which 
they  are  given  a  leading  part,  their  highest 
duty  is  to  proclaim  the  Gospel  of  God 
and  to  instruct  in  the  way  of  salvation 
(1  Tim.  i.  11),  to  preach  the  word, 
being  instant  in  season,  out  of  season  ; 
to  reprove,  to  rebuke,  to  exhort,  with 
all  long-suffering  and  teaching  (2  Tim. 
iv.  2). 

Elders. 

2.  The  elders  in  the  church  are  selected 
on  account  of  their  spiritual  gifts,  the 
same  in  kind,  but  not  of  the  same  order, 
as  the  gift  in  the  ministry.  They  must 
be  such  as  fear  God,  and  are  faithful,  apt 
to  teach,  able  both  to  exhort  in  sound 
doctrine  and  to  convict  gainsayers  (Tit.  i. 
5-9),  of  good  report,  ruling  their  own 
houses  well,  ensamples  of  the  Hock  in 
wmrd  and  manner  of  life.  They  are  to 
tend  and  feed  the  flock  of  God,  as  a 
charge  allotted  to  them,  watching  in 
behalf  of  their  souls,  as  those  that  shall 


76 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


give  account,  exercising  the  oversight, 
not  as  lords,  nor  for  advantage,  nor  of 
constraint,  but  willingly  and  humbly.  It 
is  their  duty  to  sympathize  with  all  for 
their  growth  in  the  grace  and  knowledge 
of  our  Lord  and  Saviour,  for  the  develop¬ 
ment  of  spiritual  gifts  in  the  unity  of  the 
Spirit,  ‘-for  the  perfecting  of  the  saints, 
unto  the  work  of  ministering,  unto  the 
building  up  of  the  body  of  Christ,  till  all 
attain  unto  the  unity  of  the  faith  and  of 
the  knowledge  of  the  Son  of  God,  unto  a 
full  grown  man,  unto  the  measure  of  the 
stature  of  the  fulness  of  Christ.”  They 
are  to  counsel  with  ministers  in  love, 
tenderly  encouraging  and  helping  young 
ministers,  advising  them  all  in  the  wisdom 
of  God. 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


77 


CHAPTER  III. 

GOVERNMENT. - THE  SEVERAL  KINDS  OF 

MEETINGS. 

Notwithstanding  the  spiritual  character 
of  the  Church,  some  definite  form  of  gov¬ 
ernment  is  absolutely  necessary;  for  the 
promotion  of  fellowship  and  mutual  edifi¬ 
cation,  for  the  assistance  of  the  needy, 
for  the  protection  of  the  suffering  under 
persecution,  for  the  exclusion  of  the  dis¬ 
obedient  and  disorderly,  and  above  all  for 
the  furtherance  of  the  Gospel  of  salvation. 

And  seeing  that  the  early  Friends  estab¬ 
lished  a  system  of  church  government 
founded  on  Scripture  and  the  practice  of 
primitive  Christians,  it  seems  to  us  expe¬ 
dient  and  right  to  uphold  the  same  and 
to  perfect  it,  as  God  gives  us  wisdom. 
This  system  is  based  upon  the  priesthood 
of  all  believers.  The  government  shall 
be  administered  by  the  members  of  each 
particular  church  or  congregation,  trans¬ 
acting  the  business  as  equals.  For  this 


FOKM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


"78 

purpose  they  shall  meet  in  Monthly,  Quar¬ 
terly  and  Yearly  Meetings,  the  Monthly 
being  subordinate  to  the  Quarterly  and  the 
Quarterly  to  the  Yearly  Meeting,  each 
lower  sending  delegates  to  the  next  higher. 
The  pastoral  body,  together  with  the  over¬ 
seers,  shall  meet  in  Monthly,  Quarterly 
and  Yearly  Meetings  on  Ministry  and 
Oversight,  corresponding  in  representation 
and  the  order  of  subordination  to  the 
executive  department  of  the  Church. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

MONTHLY  MEETINGS. 

Their  Organization ,  Powers  and  Duties. 

1.  A  Monthly  Meeting  is  any  regularly 
organized  church,  and  consists  of  all  the 
persons  who  are  entitled  to  be  recorded 
on  its  list  of  members.  Monthly  Meet¬ 
ings  are  subordinate  to  the  Quarterly 
Meeting  of  which  they  form  a  part,  and 
are  to  appoint  two  or  more  delegates  to 
the  same. 

2.  The  Monthly  Meeting  is  charged 
with  the  government  of  the  church.  It 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


79 

has,  therefore,  authority  to  receive  mem¬ 
bers  into  the  church  and  to  dismiss  them 
from  the  church,  to  discipline  offenders, 
to  grant  appeals,  to  consider  all  other 
questions  affecting  the  membership  of 
persons,  according  to  the  Rules  of  Disci¬ 
pline,  and  to  adopt  and  carry  out  measures 
for  the  instruction  of  their  members  and 
for  the  promotion  of  the  spiritual  interests 
of  the  congregation.  In  cases  of  serious 
difficulty  a  Monthly  Meeting  may  ask 
advice  of  the  Quarterly  Meeting. 

3.  The  Monthly  Meeting  shall  annually 
choose,  through  the  nomination  of  a  com¬ 
mittee,  two  or  more  faithful  and  judicious 
persons,  usually  from  botli  sexes,  to  serve 
as  overseers.  They  should  be  persons  of 
spiritual  insight,  steadfastness,  meekness, 
and  love,  who  cherish  an  interest  in  the 
spiritual  welfare  of  their  fellow-members 
and  a  wholesome  watchfulness  over  them. 
It  is  their  duty  to  exercise  tenderness  and 
authority  in  all  cases  of  disorder,  disobe¬ 
dience,  dispute  and  other  delinquences,  in 
order  to  lead  offenders,  without  unneces¬ 
sary  publicity,  to  repentance  towards  God 


80 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


and  to  restore  them  to  orderly  deportment,, 
harmony  and  full  fellowship  in  the  church. 
They  may  counsel,  exhort,  reprove,  and 
warn  the  unfaithful.  When  it  is  deemed 
wise  they  may  ask  the  advice  and  assist¬ 
ance  of  the  elders  individually,  or  collect¬ 
ively.  After  due  care  has  proved  ineffect¬ 
ual,  it  is  their  duty  to  enter  complaints  in 
writing  against  offenders  in  the  Monthly 
Meeting. 

4.  In  order  to  be  complete  in  its  organ¬ 
ization  every  Monthly  Meeting  must  have 
two  or  more  elders,  and  those  who  possess 
the  requisite  gifts  and  qualifications  should 
be  chosen  (Chapter  II.  2).  JSTo  new 
Monthly  Meeting  should  be  established 
without  at  least  two  elders.  But  a  Monthly 
Meeting  appearing  without  the  care  of  such 
a  pastoral  body  may  retain  its  regular 
organization  during  the  pleasure  of  the 
Quarterly  Meeting. 

5.  Monthly  Meetings  shall  appoint 
committees  every  three  years  to  propose 
for  the  station  of  elder  the  names  of  per¬ 
sons,  who,  in  their  judgment,  possess  the 
proper  gifts  and  qualifications  of  elders, 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


81 


to  serve  for  a  period  of  three  years.  No 
one  shall  be  recorded  as  an  elder  whose 
doctrinal  views  are  not  clearly  in  accord 
with  the  affirmative  of  the  questions  oil 
pages  311-114.  Information  of  the  re¬ 
cording  of  elders  shall  be  transmitted 
through  the  Monthly  Meeting  on  Ministry 
and  Oversight  to  the  Quarterly  Meeting 
on  Ministry  and  Oversight. 

6.  The  chief  object  of  every  church,  as 
of  every  Christian,  should  be  the  conver¬ 
sion  of  the  unsaved  and  the  building  up 
of  Christians  on  their  most  holy  faith. 
Churches  should,  therefore,  be  careful  to 
provide  for  the  preaching  of  the  gospel  in 
their  meetings  and,  as  far  as  practicable, 
in  their  communities. 

7.  In  inviting  a  minister  to  the  leader¬ 
ship  in  the  pastoral  work  of  any  church 
the  Monthly  Meeting  should,  in  all  cases, 
have  the  advice  of  the  Monthly  Meeting 
on  Ministry  and  Oversight.  Monthly 
Meetings  shall  require  ministers  settling- 
in  the  churches  to  present  their  certificates 
of  membership,  or  credentials  for  religious 
service,  to  the  Monthly  Meeting,  and  in 


82 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


receiving  or  issuing  such  certificates  or 
credentials  they  shall  report  their  action 
to  the  Quarterly  Meeting  on  Ministry  and 
Oversight. 

8.  New  fields  of  work  entered  upon  by 
any  church  shall  be,  unless  transferred, 
solely  in  the  charge  of  the  Monthly  Meet¬ 
ing,  subject  to  the  Quarterly  Meeting. 
The  work  should  be  carried  on  with  a 
view  to  organize,  if  practicable,  a  new 
church.  When  the  Monthly  Meeting  shall 
deem  it  advisable  to  establish  a  new 
church,  it  shall  send  a  proposition  to  do 
the  same  to  the  Quarterly  Meeting;  which 
shall  appoint  a  committee  to  consider  the 
subject  and,  if  agreed  upon,  to  establish 
and  open  the  same. 

9.  Monthly  Meetings  have  the  author¬ 
ity  to  petition  the  Yearly  Meeting,  through 
their  Quarterly  Meeting,  or  respective 
Quarterly  Meetings,  to  establish,  or  to 
discontinue,  or  to  divide  a  Quarterly 
Meeting,  or  to  unite  two  Quarterly  Meet¬ 
ings. 

10.  Monthly  Meetings  shall  collect  all 
statistics  and  prepare  answers  to  the  Quo- 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


83 


ries,  as  required  by  the  Yearly  Meeting, 
and  promptly  forward  them  to  the  Clerk 
of  the  Quarterly  Meeting. 

CHAPTER  Y. 

QUARTERLY  MEETINGS. 

Their  Organization ,  Powers  and  Duties. 

1.  The  Church  is  divided  into  many 
separate  congregations,  and  these  need 
mutual  counsel  and  assistance  in  order  to 
maintain  soundness  of  doctrine  and  regu¬ 
larity  of  discipline,  and  to  unite  in  uniform 
measures  and  similar  means  and  methods 
for  promoting  Christian  knowledge  and 
piety,  and  for  preventing  error  and  im¬ 
morality. 

2.  A  Quarterly  Meeting  consists  of  all 
the  Monthly  Meetings  and  their  members 
within  its  limits  and  subordinate  to  it. 
The  Quarterly  Meetings  are  subordinate 
to  the  Yearly  Meeting,  of  which  they 
form  a  part,  and  are  to  appoint  from  four 
to  eight  delegates  to  the  same. 

3.  The  Quarterly  Meeting  has  the 
power  to  establish  or  to  divide  a  Monthly 


84 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


Meeting,  or  to  unite  two  Monthly  Meet¬ 
ings* 

4.  If  Friends  belonging  to  more  than 
one  Quarterly  Meeting  or  to  Quarterly 
Meetings  in  more  than  one  Yearly  Meet¬ 
ing  request  the  establishment  cf  a  new 
Monthly  Meeting,  the  request  shall  be 
sent  to  all  the  Quarterly  Meetings  to  which 
the  signers  of  the  request  belong,  and 
their  consent  obtained.  The  request  shall 
state  where  and  when  the  new  Monthly 
Meeting  is  desired  to  be  held,  and  to  what 
Quarterly  Meeting  it  is  to  be  attached. 
When  the  consent  of  all  the  interested 
Quarterly  Meetings  has  been  obtained, 
the  Quarterly  Meeting,  to  which  the  new 
Monthly  Meeting  is  to  be  attached,  shall 
proceed  to  establish  it  as  requested. 

5.  In  order  to  establish,  or  to  discon¬ 
tinue,  or  to  divide  a  Quarterly  Meeting, 
or  to  unite  two  Quarterly  Meetings,  appli¬ 
cation  should  be  made  by  the  Monthly 
Meetings  concerned  through  their  Quar¬ 
terly  Meeting,  or  respective  Quarterly 
Meetings,  to  the  Yearly  Meeting  for  its 
action. 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


85 


6.  The  Quarterly  Meeting  has  author¬ 
ity  over  the  Monthly  Meetings.  It  may 
review  their  proceedings  and  the  records 
thereof,  and  shall  receive  appeals  from 
the  Monthly  Meetings  and  decide  upon 
them,  and  shall  grant  appeals  from  its 
own  decisions  to  the  Yearly  Meeting 

7.  The  Quarterly  Meeting  shall  have 
the  general  oversight  and  care  of  the 
work  of  the  Church  within  its  borders, 
shall  be  diligent  to  assist  the  churches  in 
carrying  it  on,  and  has  authority  to  open 
and  assume  charge  of  new  fields  of  labor. 

8.  At  its  last  meeting  before  the 
Yearly  Meeting,  the  Quarterly  Meeting 
shall  receive  from  the  Monthly  Meetings 
all  statistics  required,  together  with  the 
answers  to  the  Queries,  summarize  the 
same  and  promptly  forward  them  to  the 
Clerk  of  the  Yearly  Meeting. 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


86 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE  YEARLY  MEETING. 

Its  Organization  and  Powers. 

1.  The  design  of  the  Yearly  Meeting 
and  of  its  annual  assemblies  is  the  more 
general  and  perfect  ordering  and  regu¬ 
lating  the  affairs  of  the  Society  of  Friends 
in  all  the  churches  and  in  the  service  of 
God,  and  for  maintaining  and  promoting 
the  Christian  faith,  love,  unity,  life  and 
practice  throughout  the  several  Quarterly 
Meetings. 

2.  Iowa  Yearly  Meeting  consists  of 
all  subordinate  Quarterly  and  Monthly 
Meetings,  together  with  their  members, 
within  its  limits.  It  shall  be  held  annu¬ 
ally  at  Oskaloosa,  Iowa,  and  meets  at  two 
o’clock  in  the  afternoon  on  Third-day 
following  the  first  First-day  in  Ninth 
Month.* 

3.  The  Yearly  Meeting  shall  be  opened 

*  Iowa  Yearly  Meeting  was  established  by  Indiana 
Yearly  Meeting  in  1863. 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


87 


at  the  appointed  time  and  place  by  the 
Clerk  of  the  last  annual  meeting,  and  he 
shall  till  his  place  until  a  successor  is 
chosen. 

4.  The  Yearly  Meeting  shall  receive 
and  decide  all  cases  of  appeal  regularly 
brought  before  them  from  any  of  the 
Quarterly  Meetings.  It  may  review  the 
proceedings  '  of  any  Quarterly  -  Meeting,, 
and  shall  give  advice  and  instruction, 
when  it  is  requested  or  thought  necessary, 
to  Quarterly  Meetings.  Thus  the  Yearly 
Meeting  shall  constitute  a  bond  of  union, 
peace  and  confidence  among  all  the 
churches. 

5.  The  Yearly  Meeting  has  the  power 
to  decide  questions  of  doctrine  and 
discipline,  and  to  define  the  same  by 
legislation  ;  to  counsel,  to  admonish  and 
to  discipline  delinquent  Quarterly  and 
Monthly  Meetings  ;  to  institute  measures 
and  provide  means  for  the  promotion  of 
truth  and  holiness;  and  to  inaugurate  and 
carry  on  departments  of  work,  as  the 
Evangelistic,  the  Bible  School,  the  Mission 
and  other  departments. 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


$s 


6.  All  propositions  from  Quarterly 
Meetings,  all  resolutions  and  all  proposed 
legislation  upon  doctrine  and  discipline 
shall  be  introduced  to  the  Yearly  Meeting 
in  writing. 

7.  All  propositions  to  amend  or  to 
revise  the  Declaration  of  Faith,  or  the 
Dorm  of  Government,  shall  be  referred 
to  the  Representative  Meeting  for  one 
year,  and  returned  with  their  judgment; 
and  all  proposed  changes  in  the  Rules  of 
Discipline  shall  receive  the  consideration 
of  the  Yearly  Meeting  on  at  least  two 
days  before  their  final  adoption. 


Christian  Ministry  and  Oversight. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE  MINISTRY. 

The  ministry  of  the  Gospel  is  not  of 
man,  but  of  God  only,  and  the  gift  and 
call  come  through  Jesus  Christ,  the  Head 
over  all  to  His  Church.  Ministers  are 
to  be  recognized  and  endorsed  by  the 
churches  and  accounted  as  stewards  of  the 
mysteries  of  God.  Yet  they  should 
constantly  remember  that  they  have  the 
divine  gift  as  a  treasure  in  earthen  vessels. 
They  may  preach  only  Christ  Jesus  as 
Lord  and  themselves  as  servants  of  others 
for  Jesus’  sake.  Their  ministry  should  be 
in  the  demonstration  of  the  Spirit  and 
power.  Although  they  must  declare  the 
whole  counsel  of  God  in  divers  forms, 
their  central  theme  must  be  Christ  Jesus, 
the  power  of  God  and  the  wisdom  of 
God. 


90 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

OVERSIGHT. 

In  the  ordering  of  God  there  should  be 
elders  in  every  church  as  co-laborers  with 
the  ministers.  In  addition  to  the  general 
care  and  oversight  of  all  the  members, 
elders  should  entertain  and  exercise  special 
care  for  the  growth  and  improvement  of 
ministers  in  soundness  and  clearness  in 
doctrine  and  in  an  interesting  and  fitting 
manner  of  delivering  their  communica¬ 
tions,  sympathizing  with  them  in  their 
trials. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

MONTHLY  MEETINGS  ON  MINISTRY  AND 
OVERSIGHT. 

Their  Organization ,  Powers  and  Duties. 

1.  A  Monthly  Meeting  on  Ministry 
and  Oversight  is  composed  of  all  the  min¬ 
isters,  elders  and  overseers  within  the 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


91 


limits  of  the  Monthly  Meeting  of  which 
they  are  members.  It  shall  meet  once  in 
three  months  or  oftener,  and  a  meeting 
maybe  called  on  the  request  of  two  mem¬ 
bers  as  occasion  requires.  Monthly  Meet¬ 
ings  on  Ministry  and  Oversight  shall 
appoint  delegates  to  the  Quarterly  Meet¬ 
ing  on  Ministry  and  Oversight. 

2.  The  Monthly  Meeting  on  Ministry 
and  Oversight  shall  have  the  care  of  the 
work  in  the  Monthly  Meeting.  They 
shall  be  careful  of  the  reputation  of  min¬ 
isters  and  others  who  labor  in  public, 
being  diligent  in  counsel  and  encourage¬ 
ment,  and  preventing  injury  to  the  cause 
of  Christ.  They  shall  guard  ministers 
and  other  teachers  against  misquoting  and 
misapplying  texts  of  Scripture,  or  draw¬ 
ing  wrong  conclusions  from  them,  and 
against  promulgating  doctrines  not  in 
harmony  with  the  principles  of  the  Gospel 
as  held  by  Friends. 

3.  Members  of  the  Monthly  Meeting 
on  Ministry  and  Oversight  shall  watch 
over  one  another  for  good,  that  all  may 
lead  a  blameless  life.  When  occasion 


92 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


requires,  it  is  their  duty  to  advise  and 
admonish  their  fellow-members.  If  any 
one  of  their  members  is  clearly  chargeable 
with  unsoundness  in  doctrine,  immorality, 
or  insubordination,  they  shall  extend  due 
Christian  care  in  the  case.  If  this  prove 
unavailing,  they  shall  present  a  statement 
of  the  case  to  the  Quarterly  Meeting  on 
Ministry  and  Oversight. 

■A.  The  Monthly  Meeting  on  Ministry 
and  Oversight  shall  recommend  to  the 
Quarterly  Meeting  on  Ministry  and  Over¬ 
sight  persons  for  the  ministry,  who  have 
given  satisfactory  evidence  that  they 
possess  the  requisite  gifts  and  qualifica¬ 
tions  of  ministers. 

5.  The  Monthly  Meeting  on  Ministry 
and  Oversight  shall  prepare  and  read  in 
its  meetings  answers  to  the  Queries,  as 
required  by  the  Yearly  Meeting,  and 
promptly  forward  them  to  the  Clerk  of 
the  Quarterly  Meeting  on  Ministry  and 
Oversight  in  time  for  its  last  meeting 
preceding  the  Yearly  Meeting. 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


93- 


CHAPTER  X. 

QUARTERLY  MEETINGS  ON  MINISTRY  AND 
OVERSIGHT. 

Their  Organization ,  Powers  and  Duties. 

1.  A  Quarterly  Meeting  on  Ministry 
and  Oversight  is  composed  of  the  delegates 
from  all  the  Monthly  Meetings  on  Ministry 
and  Oversight  within  its  limits  and  such 
other  members  of  these  meetings  as  may 
be  present.  It  shall  meet  regularly  before 
the  Quarterly  Meeting,  and  near  the  time 
of  it,  to  transact  the  business  pertaining 
to  its  department  of  church  government, 
and  it  shall  appoint  delegates  to  the  Yearly 
Meeting  on  Ministry  and  Oversight. 

2.  The  Quarterly  Meeting  on  Ministry 
and  Oversight  has  authority  to  visit  by 
committee  any  of  its  churches,  and  to 
inquire  into  the  conduct  and  soundness  in 
doctrine  of  its  teachers,  when  it  is  clearly 
advised  of  the  necessity  of  such  action. 
In  such  case  it  may  give  advice  and  admo¬ 
nition  to  ministers,  elders,  or  overseers. 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


•94 

It  shall  consider  cases  of  delinquency 
referred  to  it  by  the  Monthly  Meeting  on 
Ministry  and  Oversight  against  ministers, 
elders  or  overseers,  or  it  may  otherwise 
call  them  to  account;  and,  if  due  care 
and  forbearance  prove  ineffectual,  it  may 
ask  the  Monthly  Meeting  to  depose  them 
from  their  official  positions;  or  it  may 
refer  the  case  to  the  Monthly  Meeting  for 
such  other  action  as  the  latter  may  think 
right.  When  the  Quarterly  Meeting  on 
Ministry  and  Oversight  has  asked  that  a 
minister,  elder  or  overseer  be  deposed,  he 
shall  cease  to  sit  in  meetings  on  Ministry 
and  Oversight,  until  the  Monthly  Meeting 
disposes  of  the  case.  Deposed  ministers, 
who  give  satisfactory  evidence  of  repent¬ 
ance  and  amendment  of  life,  may  be 
restored  to  their  official  position. 

3.  The  Quarterly  Meeting  on  Ministry 
and  Oversight  shall  have  the  general  care 
of  the  pastoral  work  within  its  limits.  It 
shall  be  diligent  and  judicious  in  devising 
measures  and  means  for  the  promotion 
of  spiritual  life  and  godliness,  and  shall 
give  special  attention  to  new  congrega- 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


95 


tions,  weaker  churches  and  those  without 
a  minister. 

I.  The  Quarterly  Meeting  on  Ministry 
and  Oversight  shall  receive  and  carefully 
consider  all  memorials  of  deceased  Friends. 
If,  in  its  judgment,  the  faith  and  Christian 
life  and  example  set  forth  in  any  memorial 
will  prove  decidedly  useful  in  encouraging 
the  living  to  trust  in  Him  who  was  the  life 
and  salvation  of  the  deceased  member,  it 
may  refer  it  to  the  Representative  Meeting 
for  such  use  as  it  may  make  of  it. 

5.  At  its  last  meeting  before  the  Yearly 
Meeting  the  Quarterly  Meeting  on  Ministry 
and  Oversight  shall  report  all  deaths  of 
ministers  to  the  Yearly  Meeting  on  Min¬ 
istry  and  Oversight. 

6.  At  its  last  meeting  preceding  the 
Yearly  Meeting  the  Quarterly  Meeting  on 
Ministry  and  Oversight  shall  prepare  a 
summary  of  the  answers  to  Queries  re¬ 
ceived  from  the  Monthly  Meetings  on 
Ministry  and  Oversight  and  transmit  the 
same  to  the  Clerk  of  the  Yearly  Meeting 
on  Ministry  and  Oversight. 


DG 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

THE  YEARLY  MEETING  ON  MINISTRY  AND 
OVERSIGHT. 

Its  Organization ,  Powers  and  Duties .. 

1.  Tlie  Yearly  Meeting  on  Ministry 
and  Oversight  is  composed  of  the  dele¬ 
gates  from  the  Quarterly  Meetings  on 
Ministry  and  Oversight  and  other  min¬ 
isters,  elders  and  overseers  of  Iowa  Yearly 
Meeting.  It  shall  meet  annually  at  Oska- 
loosa,  Iowa,  on  Fourth-day  morning,  at 
eight  o’clock,  after  the  opening  of  the 
Yearly  Meeting  on  Third-day.  This  meet¬ 
ing  may  hold  adjourned  meetings,  but 
shall  not  suffer  them  to  conflict  with  the 
sessions  of  the  Yearly  Meeting. 

2.  In  connection  with  the  reading  of 
the  Queries  and  Summaries  of  Answers 
from  the  Quarterly  Meetings  on  Ministry 
and  Oversight,  the  Yearly  Meeting  on 
Ministry  and  Oversight  shall  consider  the 
state  of  its  membership,  and  shall  make 
an  annual  report  to  the  Yearly  Meeting 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


97 


on  the  spi ritual  condition  of  its  members. 
It  may  address  epistles  of  advice  and 
instruction  to  its  subordinate  meetings, 
and  may  appoint  committees  to  visit 
them. 

3.  The  Yearly  Meeting  on  Ministry 
and  Oversight  shall  carefully  consider 
subjects  which  have  reference  to  the 
spiritual  needs  of  the  Society,  and  it  may 
report  its  judgment  to  the  Yearly  Meeting 
for  its  action. 

4.  The  Yearly  Meeting  on  Ministry 
and  Oversight  shall  keep  a  record  of 
deceased  ministers  as  reported  to  it  from 
the  Quarterly  Meetings  on  Ministry  and 
Oversight. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

RECORDING  MINISTERS. 

1.  When  the  public  services  of  any 
one  of  our  members  have  convinced  the 
Monthly  Meeting  on  Ministry  and  Over¬ 
sight  that  a  gift  in  the  ministry  has  been 
conferred  upon  him,  and  it  is  satisfied  that 
it  should  be  recognized  by  the  Church, 


ffS 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


it  should  send  a  proposition  to  record  him 
as  a  minister  to  the  Quarterly  Meeting  on 
Ministry  and  Oversight. 

2.  Having  received  a  proposition  from 
the  Monthly.  Meeting  on  Ministry  and 
Oversight  to  record  any  person  as  a  min¬ 
ister,  the  Quarterly  Meeting  on  Ministry 
and  Oversight  shall  appoint  a  committee 
to  consider  the  subject  and  report  its 
judgment  as  to  the  person’s  spiritual  gifts 
and  qualifications  for  the  ministry,  and  as 
to  his  manner  of  life  and  doctrinal  views. 
No  one  should  be  recorded  as  a  minister 
whose  doctrinal  views  are  not  clearly  in 
accord  with  the  affirmative  of  the  Ques¬ 
tions  on  pages  Ill-lit.  If,  after  due  and 
prayerful  deliberation,  the  Quarterly  Meet¬ 
ing  on  Ministry  and  Oversight  fully  ap¬ 
prove  of  the  person  for  the  station,  it 
shall  transmit  a  recommendation  to  the 
Monthly  Meeting  to  record  him  as  a  min¬ 
ister  of  the  Gospel. 

3.  When  the  Monthly  Meeting  has 
received  from  the  Quarterly  Meeting  on 
Ministry  and  Oversight  the  recommenda¬ 
tion  of  any  person  to  the  ministry,  it  shall 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


99 


carefully  consider  the  subject,  and  if  it 
unite  with  the  meeting  recommending  the 
person,  it  shall  record  him  as  a  minister 
-of  the  Gospel  ;  and  it  shall  report  its 
action  to  the  Quarterly  Meeting  on  Min¬ 
istry  and  Oversight. 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

LIBERATING  MINISTERS. 

1.  When  any  minister  believes  that  lie 
Is  called  of  God  to  ministerial  service  out¬ 
side  his  Quarterly  Meeting,  the  following 
•course  shall  be  pursued  : 

(1)  If  the  proposed  service  lie  within 
the  limits  of  Iowa  Yearly  Meeting  the 
minister  shall  bring  the  concern  before 
the  Monthly  Meeting  and  request  a  certifi¬ 
cate  of  its  unity  and  concurrence  in  the 
service.  The  Monthly  Meeting  may  grant 
the  certificate,  defining  the  nature  and  field 
-of  the  service. 

(2)  If  the  proposed  service  involve  a 
general  visit  within  the  limits  of  Iowa  or 
other  American  Yearly  Meetings,  and  the 
Monthly  Meeting  unite  and  concur,  it  shall 


100 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


transmit  a  written  statement  oft  the  nature 
and  field  of  the  service,  and  of  its  unity 
and  concurrence  therein,  to  the  Quarterly 
Meeting.  If  that  body  also  unite  and 
concur  in  the  service,  it  shall  grant  the 
minister  requesting  it  a  certificate  for  the 
service,  defining  the  nature  and  field 
thereof  and  the  unity  and  concurrence 
therein  of  the  Monthly  Meeting. 

(3)  If  the  proposed  service  lie  beyond 
the  limits  of  the  American  Yearly  Meet¬ 
ings,  the  Monthly  Meeting  concurring 
shall  transmit  to  the  Quarterly  Meeting, 
and  the  Quarterly  Meeting  to  the  Yearly 
Meeting  on  Ministry  and  Oversight,  and 
the  Yearly  Meeting  on  Ministry  and  Over¬ 
sight  to  the  Yearly  Meeting,  a  written 
statement  of  the  nature  and  field  of  the 
service  and  of  their  concurrence  therein. 
If  the  Yearly  Meeting  also  unite  and 
concur  in  the  service,  it  shall  grant  the 
minister  requesting  it  a  suitable  certificate 
for  the  service,  defining  the  nature  and 
field  thereof  and  the  unity  and  concur¬ 
rence  therein  of  each  of  the  meetings 
which  have  considered  the  subject. 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


101 


2.  In  every  case  where  a  certificate 
for  ministerial  service  is  granted,  the 
•Clerk  and  the  Correspondent  shall  sign  it, 
and  the  meeting  granting  it  shall  see  that 
the  minister  is  properly  provided  for. 

3.  Certificates  for  ministerial  service 
shall,  after  the  performance  of  the  labor, 
be  seasonably  returned  to  the  meeting  or 
meetings  granting  them. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE  EXECUTIVE  AND  REGULAR  OFFICERS. 

1.  The  executive  and  regular  officers 
of  business  meetings  are  :  the  Clerk  for 
business  meetings  of  every  kind,  the 
Recorder  for  the  Monthly  Meeting,  the 
Correspondent  and  the  Treasurer  for  the 
Monthly,  the  Quarterly  and  the  Yearly 
Meeting,  and  three  Trustees  for  the 
Monthly  and  five  for  the  Yearly  Meeting. 
The  Correspondent  and  the  Trustees  shall 
be  chosen  and  vacancies  filled  from  time 
to  time  as  occasion  requires.  The  other 
■officers  shall  be  chosen  annually.  All 


102 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


officers  shall  hold  their  offices  until  their 
successors  are  chosen. 

2.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  Clerk  of  any 
business  meeting  to  preside  over  such 
meeting,  to  arrange  the  business  and  give 
it  direction  according  to  the  Form  of  Gov¬ 
ernment,  the  Rules  of  Discipline  and  the 
usages  of  Friends,  and  to  decide  upon  all 
questions  considered  according  to  the  pre¬ 
vailing  sentiment  of  the  meeting,  with 
due  Christian  regard  for  members  offering 
serious  objections  on  grave  questions. 

It  is  further  the  duty  of  the  Clerk  to 
make  and  keep  a  clear  and  complete  record 
of  all  business  of  the  meeting,  to  sign  the- 
minutes  of  each  meeting,  to  transmit  to 
other  business  meetings  and  to  receive 
from  them  such  business  as  the  nature  of 
the  office  requires. 

3.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  Recorder  to 
keep,  in  a  book  provided  for  the  purpose,, 
a  carefully  revised  list  of  all  members  be¬ 
longing  to  the  Monthly  Meeting,  record¬ 
ing  all  births,  deaths  and  marriages.* 

4.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  Correspondent 


*  See  Form  of  Record  at  the  end  of  this  Volume. 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


103 


of  the  Monthly  or  Quarterly  Meeting  to 
conduct  all  correspondence  not  naturally 
belonging  or  specially  assigned  to  the 
Clerk,  and  to  authenticate  all  documents 
issued  by  the  Meeting. 

The  Correspondent  of  the  Yearly  Meet¬ 
ing  shall  have  charge  of  the  correspond¬ 
ence  between  the  Yearly  Meeting  and 
other  Yearly  Meetings,  shall  authenticate 
all  documents  directed  to  them,  and  shall 
sign  the  certificates  of  ministers  liberated 
for  service  outside  of  the  American  Yearly 
Meetings  and  certificates  of  membership 
to  be  sent  to  foreign  countries. 

5.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  Treasurer  of 
any  meeting  to  receive  all  moneys  due 
the  meeting  from  assessments  and  other 
sources,  as  provided  for  by  the  meeting, 
to  hold  the  same  in  trust  and  to  expend  them 
for  purposes  designated  by  the  meeting, 
lie  shall  keep  an  accurate  account  of  the 
finances  of  the  meeting  and  submit  the 
same  to  the  meeting  at  the  expiration  of 
his  term  of  office. 

6.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  Trustees  of 
the  Monthly  Meeting  to  hold  in  trust  all 


104 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


the  real  estate  or  other  properties  belong¬ 
ing  to  the  Monthly  Meeting,  and  to  have 
.all  deeds  of  property  recorded. 

It  is  the  duty  of  the  Trustees  of  the 
Yearly  Meeting  to  hold  in  trust  all  build¬ 
ings,  lands  and  other  properties  in  order 
dor  their  appointed  purposes,  guarding 
them  from  injury  and  improper  use. 
They  shall  have  all  deeds  of  property 
legally  recorded  in  the  name  of  Iowa 
Yearly  Meeting  of  the  Society  of  Friends. 
They  shall  report  annually  the  condition 
of  all  properties  requiring  the  attention  of 
the  Yearly  Meeting,  with  such  suggestions 
as  they  may  deem  wise. 

CHAPTER  XV. 

THE  REPRESENTATIVE  MEETING. 

Its  Organization ,  Powers  and  Duties. 

1.  The  Representative  Meeting  is  com¬ 
posed  of  twenty-five  members,  who  shall 
be  appointed  by  the  Yearly  Meeting  every 
five  years,  with  a  view  to  fitness  and 
to  the  convenience  with  which  they  can 
assemble,  and  one  member  appointed  by 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


105 


■each  Quarterly  Meeting.  Remote  Quar¬ 
terly  Meetings  may  choose  their  Represen¬ 
tatives  from  Quarterly  Meetings  more 
conveniently  located.  The  Trustees  of 
the  Yearly  Meeting  shall  he  fix-officio 
members  of  the  Representative  Meeting. 
They  shall  meet  at  seven  o’clock  on  Third- 
day  evening  following  the  opening  of 
the  Yearly  Meeting  at  Oskaloosa,  Iowa. 
Twelve  members  shall  constitute  a  meet¬ 
ing  to  transact  business.  Vacancies  occur¬ 
ring  on  any  account  should  be  promptly 
filled  by  the  respective  meetings. 

2.  The  Representative  Meeting  shall 
represent  the  Yearly  Meeting  in  the  interim 
of  its  annual  assemblies.  It  may  meet 
on  its  own  adjournments,  or  on  the  call 
of  five  members  special  meetings  may  be 
held;  of  which  the  Clerk  shall  give  ten 
days’  notice  to  all  the  members,  and  shall 
specify  the  subjects  which  are  to  claim  the 
attention  of  the  meeting. 

3.  The  Representative  Meeting  may 
draw  on  the  Treasurer  of  the  Yearly  to 
pay  necessary  expenses  incurred  in  the 
■execution  of  its  duties. 


106 


FOKM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


4.  It  is  further  the  duty  of  the  Repre¬ 
sentative  Meeting  : 

(1)  To  act  on  behalf  of  the  Yearly 
Meeting  in  cases  where  the  interest  or 
reputation  of  the  Society  may  render  it 
necessary. 

(2)  To  attend  to  such  business  as  the 
Yearly  Meeting  may  refer  to  them. 

(3)  To  examine  all  books  and  pam¬ 
phlets  proposed  to  be  printed  and  profess¬ 
ing  to  be  the  doctrines  and  principles  of 
the  Society,  and  to  promote  or  discourage 
the  publication  of  them  according  to  its 
judgment.  Our  members  are  required  to 
submit  their  doctrinal  treatises,  purporting 
to  set  forth  the  doctrine  of  Friends,  to  the 
examination  of  the  Representative  Meet¬ 
ing,  and  they  should  not  publish  them 
without  the  approbation  of  that  body. 

(4)  To  reprint  and  republish  any^ 
writings  which  they  shall  judge  suffi¬ 
ciently  useful. 

(5)  To  examine  memorials  of  deceased 
members  transmitted  to  them  from  the- 
Quarterly  Meeting  on  Ministry  and  Over¬ 
sight;  and,  if  they  shall  judge  it  desirable- 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


107 

and  expedient,  to  recommend  their  publi¬ 
cation  to  the  Yearly  Meeting. 

(6)  To  inspect  and  ascertain  titles  to 
lands  and  other  estates  belonging  to  any 
of  the  meetings  when  necessary;  to  attend 
to  the  appropriation  of  charitable  legacies 
and  donations;  and,  if  need  be,  to  give 
advice  on  such  matters. 

(7)  To  extend  such  advice  and  assist¬ 
ance  to  persons  suffering  for  our  Christian 
testimonies,  as  the  case  may  require;  and, 
if  necessary,  to  apply  to  the  Government 
or  to  persons  in  authority  on  their  behalf. 

(8)  To  keep  a  record  of  their  pro¬ 
ceedings  and  to  lay  the  same  annually 
before  the  Yearly  Meeting. 

Ministers,  and  members  of  other  Rep¬ 
resentative  Meetings,  may  attend  the 
sessions  of  the  Representative  Meeting. 


108 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


CHAPTER  XYI. 

THE  QUERIES. 

General  Queries. 

To  be  read  and  answered  in  the  Month¬ 
ly  and  Quarterly  Meetings  next  pre¬ 
ceding  the  Yearly  Meeting  and  written 
answers  accompanied  by  the  Statistical 
Report  to  be  forwarded  by  the  Monthly 
Meeting  to  the  Quarterly  Meeting,  and  a 
summary  thereof  by  the  Quarterly  to  the 
Yearly  Meeting. 

1.  Are  your  meetings  for  worship  and 
for  discipline  regularly  held,  and  are  they 
well  attended  ? 

2.  Are  you  united  in  the  bonds  of 
Christian  fellowship?  Are  your  lives 
and  deportment  consistent  with  your  pro¬ 
fession  ? 

3.  Are  the  rules  of  the  Discipline 
administered  timely,  impartially,  and  in 
a  Christian  spirit?  And  is  a  spirit  of 
restoring  love  evinced  toward  offenders  ? 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


100 

4.  Do  you  have  daily  family  worship? 
And  do  you  frequently  read  the  Holy 
Scriptures?  Are  you  careful  to  instruct 
your  children  in  a  knowledge  of  the  same, 
and  to  train  them  for  upright  and  useful 
lives?  and  do  you  labor  for  their  early 
conversion  and  growth  in  grace? 

5.  Do  you  inspect  and  relieve  the 
necessities  of  those  among  you  requiring 
aid  ? 

6.  Are  your  members  well  informed 
in  the  doctrines  of  the  Christian  Religion? 
and  in  our  Christian  principles  concerning 
War,  Oaths,  Secret  Societies  and  Lot¬ 
teries?  and  are  they  careful  to  maintain 
them  ? 

7.  The  Statistical  Queries  are  answered 
by  filling  out  the  Statistical  Table  at  the 
end  of  this  Volume. 

Queries  for  Meetings  on  Ministry  and 
Oversight. 

To  be  read  in  the  Monthly  Meeting 
m  Ministry  and  Oversight  preceding  the 
second  Quarterly  Meeting  on  Ministry 
and  Oversight,  and  also  in  the  Monthl 


110 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


Meeting  on  Ministry  and  Oversight  pre¬ 
ceding  the  fourth  Quarterly  Meeting  on 
Ministry  and  Oversight,  and  written  an¬ 
swers  to  be  forwarded  by  the  former  to 
the  latter.  The  Quarterly  Meeting  on  Min¬ 
istry  and  Oversight  shall  consider  the  an¬ 
swers,  and  at  the  fourth  Quarterly  Meeting 
it  shall  transmit  a  summary  of  them  to  the 
Yearly  Meeting  on  Ministry  and  Oversight. 

1.  Are  you  diligent  and  punctual  in 
attending  meetings  for  worship  and  for 
discipline,  and  are  you  careful  to  promote 
the  attendance  of  your  families  on  public 
worship  ? 

2.  Are  your  lives  blameless  among 
men?  Are  you  in  unity  one  with  another, 
and  with  the  meetings  to  which  you  belong, 
laboring  together  harmoniously  for  the 
salvation  of  souls  and  the  building  up  of 
the  Church  ? 

3.  Do  you  have  family  worship  ?  and 
are  you  engaged  frequently  in  the  study 
of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  prayerfully  seek¬ 
ing  a  right  understanding  of  their  con¬ 
tents?  and  are  you  careful  not  to  misquote 
or  misapply  them  ? 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


Ill 


4.  Are  you  careful  to  rule  your  own 
houses  well,  and  do  you  endeavor  to  train  up 
your  families  in  a  consistent  Christian  life  ? 

5.  Are  all  the.  members  of  the  Meeting 
on  Ministry  and  Oversight  well  informed 
and  sound  in  the  doctrines  of  the  Chris¬ 
tian  Religion  ?  Do  they  teach,  exhort, 
caution  and  encourage  as  those  that  shall 
give  account  ? 

Questions  to  Ministers  and  Elders. 

Meetings  on  Ministry  and  Oversight 
shall  he  careful  to  recommend  no  one  to 
he  recorded  as- a  minister  or  elder  whose 
doctrinal  views  are  not  clearly  in  accord 
with  the  affirmative  of  the  following  ques¬ 
tions. 

To  be  read  once  a  year  in  the  Monthly, 
Quarterly  and  Yearly  Meetings  on  Minis¬ 
try  and  Oversight. 

1.  Dost  thou  believe  in  one  only  wise, 
omnipotent  and  -eternal  God,  the  Creator 
and  Upholder  of  all  things? 

2.  Dost  thou  believe  in  the  fall  of 
man  through  disobedience  to  God,  by 
yielding  to  the  temptation  of  Satan  ;  in 


112 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


tlie  depravity  of  the  human  heart  result¬ 
ing  therefrom  ;  and  that,  in  consequence, 
all  men  hav.e  sinned  and  come  under  con¬ 
demnation  ? 

3.  Dost  thou  believe  in  the  Deity  and 
Manhood  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  ;  that 
His  willing  sacrifice  on  the  cross  of  Cal¬ 
vary  was  a  satisfactory  offering  to  God  for 
the  sins  of  the  whole  world  ;  that  He  arose 
from  the  dead  and  ascended  into  heaven, 
and  now  sitteth  at  the  right  hand  of  the 
Father,  our  Mediator,  Advocate  and  In¬ 
tercessor  ;  that  man,  having  been  led  to 
repentance,  is  justified  and  made  accept¬ 
able  to  God  through  faith  in  Christ  and  in 
His  atoning  blood  and  mediation  ;  that 
this  salvation  is  the  free  gift  of  God  ;  that 
it  is  offered  to  all,  and  that  all  have  power 
to  accept  or  reject  it  ? 

4.  Dost  thou  believe  in  the  Holy  Spirit, 
the  promise  of  the  Father,  whom  Christ 
declared  He  would  send  in  His  name  ; 
that  He  is  come,  and  convicts  the  world 
of  sin  ;  that  He  leads  to  repentance  to¬ 
wards  God  and,  as  the  Gospel  is  known, 
to  faith  towards  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by 


FOEM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


113 


taking  of  His  and  showing  it  to  believers 
opens  to  them  the  truths  of  the  Gospel  as 
set  forth  in  Holy  Scriptures  and,  as  they 
exercise  faith,  guides,  sanctifies,  comforts 
and  supports  them;  that  through  Him  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  performs  the  work  of 
grace  in  the  hearts  of  men  ? 

5.  Dost  thou  believe  thou  hast  been 
born  again  and  hast  thou  become  a  child 
of  God  ? 

0.  Dost  thou  believe  in  the  spirituality 
of  worship  ;  that  the  one  Baptism  of  the 
Gospel  dispensation  is  that  of  Christ,  who 
baptizes  His  people  with  the  Holy  Spirit  ; 
and  that  the  only  true  communion  is  a 
spiritual  partaking  of  the  body  and  blood 
of  Christ  by  faith  ? 

7.  Dost  thou  believe  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  is  Head  over  all  things  to  the 
Church  ;  that  He  calls  to  the  service  of 
the  Gospel  and  qualifies  for  it,  and  that 
the  gift  and  the  qualification  to  judge  of 
it  are  from  Him,  to  be  exercised  under 
the  guidance  of  the  Holy  Spirit  ? 

8.  Dost  thou  believe  in  the  resurrec¬ 
tion  of  the  just  and  of  the  unjust  ;  in  a 


114  FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 

day  of  judgment ;  and  that  the  wicked 
shall  go  away  into  eternal  punishment, 
but  the  righteous  into  eternal  life  ? 

9.  Dost  thou  believe  that  the  Holy 
Scriptures  were  given  by  inspiration  of 
God  ;  that  they  are  to  be  believed  and 
accepted  in  their  entirety  ;  and  that  what¬ 
ever  doctrine  or  practice  is  contrary  to 
them  is  to  be  rejected  as  false  and  erro¬ 
neous  ? 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

THE  ADVICES. 

I.  Advices  to  all  Members  of  the 
Church.  To  be  read  once  a  year  in  the 
Monthly  Meeting. 

Christ,  who  is  Head  over  all  things  to 
the  Church,  and  who  hath  promised  to 
be  in  the  midst  of  those  gathered  in  His 
name,  condescends  to  make  use  of  all  His 
servants,  by  imparting  to  them  spiritual 
gifts,  to  be  exercised  under  the  renewed 
anointing  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  for  the  con¬ 
version  of  sinners,  and  for  the  edification, 
exhortation  and  comfort  of  the  assembled 
worshipers.  Each  living  member  of  the 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


115 


•Church  of  Christ  has  a  place  of  service, 
and  to  each  one  the  manifestation  of  the 
Spirit  is  given  to  profit  withal.  All  Chris¬ 
tians  should  thankfully  acknowledge  the 
goodness  of  the  Lord  in  conferring  diver¬ 
sities  of  gifts,  intellectual  as  well  as  spir¬ 
itual,  upon  the  members  of  His  Church  ; 
and  they  should  hear  in  mind  that,  how¬ 
ever  great  their  diversities,  it  is  by  the 
same  Spirit  they  are  given  ;  however  dif¬ 
fering  in  their  ministrations,  it  is  the  same 
Lord;  however  diversified  thier  operations, 
it  is  the  same  God  who  worketh  all  in  all. 

All  should  faithfully  employ  their  tal¬ 
ents  and  various  gifts  divinely  bestowed, 
in  dependence  upon  His  grace,  and  in  lov¬ 
ing  service  to  Him,  who  loved  them  and 
gave  Himself  for  them;  remembering  the 
apostolic  injunction,  “Ye  are  not  your 
own  ;  for  ye  were  bought  with  a  price  ; 
glorify  God  therefore  in  your  body.”  In 
all  LLis  service  and  in  the  exercise  of  every 
gift  the  Christian  should  realize  the  peace 
of  Christ  reigning  and  the  love  of  Christ 
abounding  in  his  heart,  and,  above  all,  he 
should  seek  in  all  things  the  more  excel- 


116 


FOKM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


lent  way  of  humbly  showing  the  Christ- 
like  love  that  never  faileth. 

Take  heed,  brethren,  to  the  convictions  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  who  leads  through 
unfeigned  repentance  and  living  faith 
in  the  Son  of  God  to  reconciliation 
with  our  Heavenly  Father ;  and  to  the 
blessed  hope  of  eternal  life,  purchased 
for  us  by  the  one  offering  of  our  Lord 
and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ. 

Be  earnestly  concerned  in  religious  meet¬ 
ings,  reverently  to  present  yourselves 
before  the  Lord  ;  and  seek,  by  the  help 
of  the  Lloly  Spirit,  to  worship  God 
through  Jesus  Christ.  Avoid  all  sacra¬ 
mental  and  symbolic  rites  and  ordi¬ 
nances,  which  are  only  shadows  of  good 
things  to  come,  in  order  that  ye  maj 
the  more  freely  partake  of  the  Divine 
Nature,  of  Christ  the  Life  already  come, 
the  real  substance  of  the  things. 

Prize  the  privilege  of  access  through  Him 
unto  the  Father.  Continue  steadfastly 
in  prayer,  and  watch  therein  with 
thanksgiving. 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


117 


Be  in  the  frequent  practice  of  waiting 
upon  the  Lord  in  private  retirement  ; 
honestly  examining  yourselves  as  to 
your  growth  in  grace,  and  your  prepa¬ 
ration  for  the  life  to  come. 

He  diligent  in  the  private  perusal  of  the 
Holy  Scriptures  ;  and  let  the  daily 
reading  of  them  in  your  families  be 
devoutly  conducted. 

Be  careful  to  make  a  profitable  and  reli¬ 
gious  use  of  those  portions  of  time  on 
the  first  day  of  the  week  which  are  not 
occupied  by  meetings  for  worship. 

Live  in  love  as  Christian  brethren,  ready 
to  be  helpful  one  to  another  sympathiz¬ 
ing  with  one  another  in  the  trials  and 
afflictions  of  life.  Watch  over  one 
another  for  good,  manifesting  an  earnest 
desire  that  each  may  possess  a  well- 
grounded  hope  in  Christ. 

Follow  peace  with  all  men,  desiring  the 
true  happiness  of  all  ;  be  kind  and 
liberal  to  the  poor,  and  endeavor  to 
promote  the  temporal,  moral  and  spirit¬ 
ual  well-being  of  your  fellow-men. 

Avoid  all  military  and  war-like  precepts 


118 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


and  practices,  and  discourage  them  in 
others  ;  that  ye,. who  have  known  the 
joy  of  peace  with  God,  may  be  faithful 
followers  of  the  Prince  of  Peace. 

With  a  tender  conscience,  in  accordance 
with  the  precepts  of  the  Gospel,  take 
heed  to  the  limitations  of  the  Spirit  of 
Truth  in  the  pursuit  of  the  things  of 
this  life. 

Maintain  strict  integrity  in  your  transac¬ 
tions  in  trade,  and  in  all  your  outward 
concerns.  Guard  against  the  spirit  of 
speculation;  and  remember  that  ye  must 
account  for  the  mode  of  acquiring,  as 
well  as  for  the  manner  of  using  and 
finally  disposing  of  your  possessions. 

Observe  simplicity  and  moderation  in  your 
deportment  and  attire,  in  the  furniture 
of  your  houses,  and  in  your  style  and 
manner  of  living.  Carefully  maintain 
in  your  own  conduct,  and  encourage 
in  your  families,  truthfulness  and  sin¬ 
cerity;  and  avoid  worldliness  in  all  its 
forms. 

Let  the  poor  of  this  world  remember  that 
it  is  our  Heavenly  Father's  will  that  all 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


110 


His  children  should  be  rich  in  faith. 
Let  your  lights  shine  in  lives  of  honest 
industry  and  patient  love.  Do  your 
utmost  to  maintain  yourselves  and  your 
families  in  an  honorable  independence, 
and,  by  prudent  care  in  time  of  health,, 
to  provide  for  sickness  and  old  age, 
holding  fast  the  promise,  “I  will  never 
leave  thee  nor  forsake  thee.” 

Guard  watchfully  against  the  introduction 
into  your  households  of  publications  of 
a  hurtful  tendency  ;  and  against  such 
companionships,  indulgencies  and  rec¬ 
reations,  whether  for  yourselves  or  your 
children,  as  may  in  any  wise  interfere 
with  a  growth  in  grace. 

Whatever  be  your  position  in  life,  avoid 
such  sports  and  places  of  diversion  as 
are  frivolous  or  demoralizing,  as  gam¬ 
bling,  lotteries,  balls,  circuses,  and  the 
use  of  tobacco  and  intoxicating  liquors. 

Beware  of  secret  societies  and  lodges  and 
their  baneful  influences  ;  and  cherish 
your  covenant  with  God  and  your  union 
and  communion  with  Him  through 
Christ  in  His  Church. 


120 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


In  contemplating  the  engagement  of  mar¬ 
riage,  look  principally  to  that  which 
will  help  you  on  your  heavenward  jour¬ 
ney.  Pay  filial  regard  to  the  judgment 
of  your  parents.  Bear  in  mind  the 
vast  importance,  in  such  a  union  of  an 
accordance  in  religious  principles  and 
practices.  Ask  counsel  of  God  ;  desir¬ 
ing  above  all  temporal  considerations, 
that  your  union  may  be  owned  and 
blessed  of  Him. 

Watch  with  tenderness  over  the  opening 
minds  of  your  children  ;  inure  them  to 
habits  of  self-restraint  and  filial  obedi¬ 
ence  ;  carefully  instruct  them  in  the 
knowledge  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  ;  and 
seek  for  ability  to  imbue  their  hearts 
with  the  love  of  their  Heavenly  Father, 
their  Redeemer  and  their  Sanctifier. 

Finally,  brethren,  let  your  whole  conduct 
and  life  be  such  as  become  the  Gospel. 
Exercise  yourselves  to  have  always  a 
conscience  void  of  offence  towards  God 
and  towards  men.  Be  steadfast  and 
faithful  in  your  allegiance  and  service 
to  your  Lord  ;  continue  in  his  love  ; 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


121 


give  diligence  to  keep  the  unity  of  the 
Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace. 

II.  Advices  to  Ministers,  Elders  and 

Overseers. 

Give  earnest  heed  to  the  religious  condi¬ 
tion  of  the  particular  congregations 
within  your  limits,  and  whether  the 
meetings  for  worship  are  held  to  edifi¬ 
cation  and  to  the  honor  of  God. 

Give  counsel,  encouragement  and  help  to 
those  engaged  in  the  work  of  the  min¬ 
istry,  especially  to  the  younger  and 
more  inexperienced. 

Be  careful  to  attend  and  encourage  mis¬ 
sions,  smaller  meetings  and  those  with¬ 
out  a  minister, 

Visit  the  infirm,  the  sick  and  the  afflicted. 

Be  mindful  of  the  children  and  young 
who  attend  your  meetings,  and  of  the 
promotion  of  their  religious  and  scrip¬ 
tural  instruction. 

Be  diligent  in  the  propagation  of  the  Gos¬ 
pel  in  your  communities. 

Be  constant  in  your  endeavors,  through 


122 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  live 
under  the  government  of  Christ. 

Be  frequent  in  reading  and  diligent  in 
meditating  upon  the  Holy  Scriptures, 
and  he  careful  not  to  misquote  or  mis¬ 
apply  them.  In  preaching,  writing  or 
conversing  about  the  things  of  God, 
keep  to  the  use  of  sound  words  in 
harmony  with  Scripture. 

Be  careful  to  adorn  the  doctrine  of  God 
our  Saviour  in  all  things  ;  keep  your¬ 
selves  unspotted  from  the  world,  and 
he  examples  of  meekness,  temperance, 
patience  and  love. 

Be  watchful  not  to  become  entangled  with 
the  cares  of  this  world,  and  manifest 
Christian  moderation  and  contentment 
in  all  things. 

Cherish  a  deep  religious  interest  on  behalf 
of  those  who  speak  in  the  ministry  ; 
watching  over  the  young  and  inexperi¬ 
enced  with  tender  concern,  encouraging 
all  in  the  right  way  of  the  Lord. 

In  the  exercise  of  the  ministry  wait  for 
the  renewed  putting  forth  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  ;  be  careful  not  to  exceed  the 


FOKM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


123 


measure  of  your  gift,  but  proceed  and 
conclude  in  the  life  and  authority  of 
the  Gospel. 

Preach  not  yourselves,  but  Christ  Jesus 
the  Lord  ;  reverently  asking  wisdom  of 
God.  Let  nothing  be  done  or  offered 
with  a  view  to  popularity,  but  all 
in  humility  and  in  the  fear  of  the 
Lord. 

Let  ministers  ever  bear  in  mind  with  what 
high  and  holy  calling  they  are  called  by 
their  ascended  Lord.  Stir  up  the  gift 
of  God  which  is  in  you.  Remember 
that  the  gift  and  calling  of  God  are 
without  repentance.  Give  yourselves 
to  reading,  to  exhortation  and  to  teach¬ 
ing,  and  be  diligent,  that  your  progress 
may  be  manifest  unto  all. 

Take  heed  to  yourselves  and  your  teach¬ 
ings.  Re  faithful,  prayerful  students 
of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  the  divinely 
inspired  oracles,  that  ye  may  speak  as 
it  were  the  oracles  of  God. 

Do  your  utmost  to  be  completely  fur¬ 
nished  unto  every  good  work  and  all 
sound  words. 


124 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


■Give  diligence  ever  to  present  yourselves 
approved  unto  God,  workmen  that  need 
not  be  ashamed,  enabled  by  Divine 
grace  rightly  to  divide  the  word  of 
Truth. 

Remember  before  God,  and  Christ  Jesus, 
who  shall  judge  the  cpiick  and  the  dead, 
to  preach  Christ  the  Son  of  God,  Christ 
the  Divine  Word,  Christ  the  Son  of  Man, 
Christ  the  Crucified,  Christ  the  Life. 

Bearing  in  mind  that  the  treasure  is  in 
earthen  vessels,  beware  of  laying  stress 
on  the  authority  of  your  ministry  ;  the 
baptizing  power  of  the  Spirit  of  Truth 
accompanying  the  words  being  the  true 
evidence. 

Be  tender  at  all  times  of  one  another’s 
reputation,  and  watchful  lest  you  hurt 
one  another’s  service.  As  servants  of 
the  same  Lord,  with  diversities  of  gifts, 
but  the  same  Spirit,  maintain  a  lively 
exercise  harmoniously  to  labor  for  the 
spreading  and  advancement  of  the 
Truth. 

Bet  ministers  endeavor  to  express  them¬ 
selves  distinctly  and  audibly,  and  guard 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


125 


against  all  tones  and  gestures  inconsist¬ 
ent  with  Christian  simplicity.  Let  them 
beware  of  using  unnecessary  preambles, 
and  of  making  additions  towards  the 
conclusion  of  a  meeting,  when  it  wuis 
left  well  before. 

When  traveling  in  the  service  of  Christ, 
be  careful  to  move  under  His  guidance. 
Let  your  visits  be  neither  short  and 
hurried,  nor  burdensome  or  unnec¬ 
essarily  expensive,  giving  no  offence  in 
anything,  that  the  ministry  be  not 
blamed. 

Prayer,  thanksgiving  and  praise  are  im¬ 
portant  parts  of  worship,  and  in  public 
they  ought  ever  to  spring  from  a  living 
sense  of  the  wants  and  condition  of 
the  congregation.  Let  them  be  offered 
in  spirit  and  in  truth,  always  seasoned 
with  grace.  When  engaged  therein 
avoid  many  words  and  repetitions  ; 
and  be  cautious  of  too  oft  repeating 
the  high  and  holy  name  of  God  ;  neither 
let  prayer  be  in  a  formal  way,  nor 
without  a  reverent  sense  of  Divine 
influence. 


120 


FORM  OF  GOVERNMENT. 


Finally,  brethren  beloved,  take  heed  to 
yourselves,  and  to  all  the  flock  amongst 
whom  the  Holy  Spirit  hath  called  you 
to  labor.  Be  faithful  ;  be  patient  ;  be 
in  earnest  to  fulfill  your  appointed 
service,  that  when  the  Chief  Shepherd 
shall  appear,  ye  may  receive  the  crown 
of  glory  that  fadeth  not  away. 


THE  RULES  OF  DISCIPLINE. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  SUBJECTS  AND  ENDS  OF  DISCIPLINE. 

Discipline  is  the  exercise  of  the  author¬ 
ity  and  the  preservation  of  the  Gospel 
order,  which  the  Church  should  maintain, 
under  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  over  all  its 
members,  officers  and  meetings. 

The  children  of  church  members  are 
also  members  of  the  Church,  are  under 
the  care  and  subject  to  the  government 
and  discipline  of  the  Church,  and  are  par¬ 
takers  of  the  outward  privileges  of  Chris¬ 
tian  fellowship.  Rut  all  should  bear  in 
mind  that  this  can  not  constitute  them 
members  of  the  Spiritual  Church  of  Christ. 
Only  the  Holy  Spirit  working  repentance 
towards  God  and  faith  towards  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  can  do  this.  Hence  the 
words  of  our  Divine  Master  should  have 
place  with  all,  “Ye  must  be  born  again.” 
Children  should  be  taught  the  grounds  of 


130 


RULES  OF  DISCIPLINE. 


conversion  and  should  learn  early  to  obey 
the  Lord,  to  bear  witness  to  His  saving 
grace  and  to  perform  the  duties  of  church 
members. 

The  ends  of  Discipline  are  the  mainten¬ 
ance  of  the  authority  and  honor  of  Christ, 
by  the  removal  of  offences,  the  promotion 
of  truth,  the  building  up  of  the  Church 
and  the  spiritual  good  of  offenders.  Dis¬ 
cipline  should,  therefore,  be  exercised 
with  prudence  and  discretion,  in  meek¬ 
ness,  patience  and  steadfastness,  and  in 
the  love  of  Christ. 

CHAPTER  II. 

RULES  GOVERNING  MEETINGS  FOR  DISCIPLINE. 

1.  An  occasion  of  worship  shall  pre¬ 
cede  all  meetings  for  discipline. 

2.  The  rights  and  privileges  of  mem¬ 
bership  shall  be  in  no  way  restricted  on 
account  of  sex. 

3.  Meetings  for  discipline  shall  keep 
a  clear  and  complete  record  of  their  pro¬ 
ceedings. 

4.  Meetings  for  discipline  shall  have 


RULES  OF  DISCIPLINE. 


131 


discretionary  power  in  granting  copies  of 
minutes,  when  they  are  requested,  to  other 
meetings  for  discipline,  except  those  to 
which  they  are  subordinate,  and  in  grant¬ 
ing  them  to  individuals. 

5.  Men  and  women  are  at  liberty  to 
organize  and  hold  their  meetings  for  dis¬ 
cipline  conjointly  or  separately.  When 
held  separately  the  meetings  shall  be  gov¬ 
erned  by  the  same  general  rules,  and 
neither  of  the  meetings  shall  determine 
questions  affecting  the  rights  of  individ¬ 
uals,  or  the  welfare  of  the  Society,  with¬ 
out  the  consent  of  the  other. 

G.  Meetings  for  discipline  shall  pro¬ 
vide  for  the  collection  and  management 
of  funds  for  the  various  church  purposes. 

7.  Meetings  for  discipline  shall  main¬ 
tain  in  regular  succession  Trustees  to  hold, 
in  a  manner  provided  by  law  and  accord¬ 
ing  to  their  duties  defined  in  the  Form  of 
Government,  all  properties  entrusted  to 
them. 

8.  In  entertaining  propositions  requir¬ 
ing  protracted  deliberation,  or  in  consid¬ 
ering  extended  details  of  accounts,  meet- 


132 


RULES  OF  DISCIPLINE. 


ings  for  discipline  should  usually  refer  the 
subject  to  a  committee. 

9.  Meetings  for  discipline  may  change 
the  time  and  place  of  meeting,  and  they 
shall  report  such  changes  to  their  superior 
meetings. 

10.  The  Monthly  Meeting  shall  have 
a  standing  committee  to  provide  for  min¬ 
isters  traveling  in  the  service  of  the 
Gospel. 

11.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  overseers 
annually  to  prepare  the  answers  to  the 
Queries,  and  to  collect  the  statistics  and 
make  the  report  thereof  to  the  Monthly 
Meeting,  for  the  statistical  year  ending 
with  the  thirtieth  of  Sixth  Month. 

12.  Subordinate  meetings  should  carry 
out  all  instructions  which  they  receive 
from  a  superior  meeting. 

13.  Delegates  appointed  to  attend 
superior  meetings,  shall  render  reasons 
for  their  non-attendance  to  the  meetings 
which  appoint  them,  and  they  shall  not 
withdraw  from  the  meetings  to  which  they 
are  appointed  without  their  consent. 

14.  In  the  exercise  of  discipline  and 


RULES  OF  DISCIPLINE. 


333 


in  the  transaction  of  the  business  of  the 
church,  when  there  is  no  rule  of  Disci¬ 
pline  fitting  a  particular  case  which  may 
arise,  the  various  meetings  for  discipline 
should  be  governed  by  reason,  exercised 
in  a  Christian  spirit,  according  to  the 
usages  of  the  Society  and  within  the  limits 
granted  them  in  the  Form  of  Government. 

15.  All  complaints  and  propositions 
.affecting  the  rights  of  members  shall  be 
presented  by  the  overseers  to  the  Monthly 
Meeting  in  writing,  but  not  before  the 
parties  have  been  informed  and  proper 
care  extended,  if  possible. 

CHAPTER  III. 

RIGHTS  OF  MEMBERSHIP. 

1.  Application  for  membership  shall 
be  made  in  writing  to  the  Monthly  Meet¬ 
ing,  through  the  overseers,  or  directly,  or 
through  a  committee  of  the  Monthly  or  of 
the  Quarterly  Meeting. 

2.  A  committee  of  suitable  persons 
shall  be  appointed  to  examine  each  appli¬ 
cant  for  membership  to  ascertain,  whether 


134 


RULES  OF  DISCIPLINE. 


lie  makes  a  credible  profession  of  faith  in 
Christ  as  his  Saviour  and  accepts  the  doc¬ 
trines  of  the  Christian  Religion,  whether 
his  present  life  indicates  the  sincerity  of 
his  profession,  whether  he  accepts  the 
Christian  principles  held  by  Friends,  and 
will  cheerfully  conform'  to  our  Form  of 
Government  and  Rules  of  Discipline,  and 
will  contribute  of  his  means  to  the  pur¬ 
poses  of  the  church. 

3.  In  exceptional  cases,  where  it  is 
manifestly  needless,  persons  may  be  re¬ 
ceived  by  the  Monthly  Meeting  without 
the  care  of  a  committee. 

4.  The  names  of  children  whose  par¬ 
ents  are  Friends  shall  be  placed  on  the 
list  of  members  by  the  Recorder. 

5.  When  parents  who  are  accustomed 
to  attend  the  meetings  of  Friends,  though 
only  one  of  them  be  a  member,  manifest 
an  interest  in  the  Society  and  request 
membership  for  their  children,  it  may,  in 
the  judgment  of  the  Monthly  Meeting, 
be  granted. 

6.  If  their  parents  or  guardians  request 
it,  minors  may  be  received  as  members. 


RULES  OF  DISCIPLINE. 


135 


when  there  is  a  reasonable  assurance  that 
they  will  be  brought  up  with  proper  Chris¬ 
tian  care. 

7.  Certificates  of  membership  from 
other  Monthly  Meetings  in  Iowa  or  other 
Yearly  Meetings  should  be  received  by 
the  Monthly  Meeting  to  which  they  are 
directed,  unless  there  is  manifest  cause 
for  returning  them,  and  information  of  the 
action  taken  should  always  be  sent  to  the 
Monthly  Meetings  issuing  the  certificates. 

8.  When  applicants  for  membership 
bring  letters  of  recommendation  from 
other  evangelical  denominations,  Monthly 
Meetings  may  exercise  their  judgment  as 
to  receiving  them. 

9.  The  reception  and  the  issuing  of 
all  certificates  of  membership  should  be 
recorded  on  the  minutes  of  the  Monthly 
Meeting,  and  the  list  of  members  corrected 
accordingly. 

10.  When  the  Monthly  Meeting  has 
received  any  applicant  into  membership, 
it  shall  inform  him  of  his  reception, 
through  the  Clerk,  or  otherwise. 

11.  The  application  to  a  Monthly 


136 


RULES  OF  DISCIPLINE. 


Meeting  for  the  removal  of  a  certificate 
of  membership  should  be  granted,  after 
due  care  in  regard  to  conduct  and  temporal 
affairs  has  been  extended.  The  certificate, 
except  in*  the  case  of  ministers,  should 
express  only,  that  the  applicant  is  a  mem¬ 
ber,  that  there  is  no  obstruction  to  grant¬ 
ing  the  certificate,  and  that  he  is  recom¬ 
mended  to  the  Monthly  Meeting  addressed. 

12.  Certificates  transferring  the  mem¬ 
bership  of  ministers  shall  always  include 
a  certificate  of  their  ministry. 

13.  Monthly  Meetings  may  furnish 
members  proposing  to  travel,  or  to  sojourn 
at  a  distance,  letters  of  introduction  to 
Friends,  or  to  other  Christians,  certifying 
their  membership  and  Christian  standing, 
and  recommending  them  to  those  amongst 
whom  they  may  come.  But  such  letters 
convey  no  rights  of  membership. 

14.  Members  removing  to  places  re¬ 
mote  from  any  Monthly  Meeting  of  the 
Society  should  correspond  with  their 
Monthly  Meetings.  If  no  information  has 
been,  or  can  be,  received  from  a  member 
for  two  years,  his  Monthly  Meeting  may, 


RULES  OF  DISCIPLINE.  137 

in  its  discretion,  remove  his  name  from  the 
list  of  members. 

15.  If  a  member,  whose  life  and  Chris¬ 
tian  walk  has  been  commendable,  wishes 
to  unite  with  some  other  evangelical 
society  of  Christians,  the  Monthly  Meet¬ 
ing  may  grant  him  a  letter  stating  his 
Christian  standing,  whereupon  his  mem¬ 
bership  shall  cease  in  the  Society  of 
Friends,  and  be  so  recorded. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

FORFEITURE  OF  MEMBERSHIP  AND  OF  OFFICE. 

1.  Resignations  of  membership  should 
be  made  to  the  Monthly  Meeting  in  writ¬ 
ing.  After  care  has  been  given,  the 
Monthly  Meeting  may  in  its  discretion 
accept  a  resignation. 

2.  When  any  member  shall  have 
united  with  another  religious  society,  his 
Monthly  Meeting  shall  remove  his  name 
from  the  list  of  members,  and  inform  him 
of  their  action. 

3.  When  complaint  against  any  mem¬ 
ber  has  been  introduced  by  the  overseers 


138 


KULES  OF  DISCIPLINE. 


to  the  Monthly  Meeting,  a  committee 
should  be  appointed  to  confer  with  the 
offender,  show  him  his  error,  and,  if 
possible,  lead  him  to  repentance  and  con¬ 
fession  of  the  same,  in  order  that  he  may 
be  restored  to  fellowship  in  the  church. 
After  due  care  and  forbearance  have  been 
extended  without  avail,  the  Monthly  Meet¬ 
ing  may  prepare  a  minute  of  disownment 
and  furnish  the  offender  with  a  copy  of 
the  same. 

4.  When  any  of  our  members  habitu¬ 
ally  neglect  the  attendance  of  meetings, 
after  due  care  on  the  part  of  the  Monthly 
Meeting,  their  membership  should  cease, 
and  their  names  should  be  removed  from 
the  list  of  members. 

5.  If  any  member  shall  deny  the 
fundamental  doctrines  of  the  Christian 
Religion,  shall  teach  doctrines  subversive 
of  the  principles  of  the  Society  of  Friends, 
shall  be  guilty  of  immorality,  or  conduct 
that  brings  the  Christian  Religion  into 
public  disrepute,  or  persist  in  a  spirit  of 
insubordination,  the  Monthly  Meeting 
shall  appoint  a  committee  for  the  purpose 


RULES  OF  DISCIPLINE. 


139 


and  endeavor  in  a  Christian  spirit  to 
reclaim  him.  If  this  prove  unavailing, 
it  shall  disown  him. 

6.  If  any  of  our  members  shall  engage 
in  buying  or  selling  tobacco,  or  intoxi¬ 
cating  liquors,  except  for  medicinal  or 
mechanical  purposes,  or  shall  take  or 
administer  oaths,  the  Monthly  Meeting 
to  which  they  belong  shall  earnestly  seek 
to  convince  them  of  their  error  in  the 
light  of  Christ  and  the  Gospel,  and  ta 
restore  them. 

7.  If  any  of  our  members  shall  engage 
in  gambling  or  lotteries,  or  enlist  in  the 
army  or  navy,  the  Monthly  Meeting  shall 
seek  to  reclaim  them  from  their  error.  If 
its  care  prove  unavailing,  it  should  dis¬ 
own  them. 

8.  When  the  name  of  a  member  has, 
for  any  reason,  been  removed  from  the 
list  of  members,  the  Monthly  Meeting 
shall,  if  practicable,  inform  him  of  its- 
action. 

9.  If  any  of  our  members,  whose  offi¬ 
cial  positions  make  them  representative 
persons  in  the  church,  shall  partake  of  the 


140 


RULES  OF  DISCIPLINE. 


outward  rite  of  Baptism  or  of  the  Supper, 
or  shall  teach  or  advocate  these,  or  any 
other  doctrines  or  practices  contrary  to 
our  Declaration  of  Faith,  or  official  state¬ 
ments  of  Christian  doctrine,  timely  care 
shall  be  extended  and,  if  they  can  not  be 
prevailed  upon  to  condemn  their  error 
and  to  desist  therefrom,  their  Monthly 
Meetings  shall  remove  them  from  such 
positions. 


CHAPTER  Y. 

OTHER  RULES  AND  REGULATIONS. 

1.  Secret  Societies. 

The  open  and  free  Gospel  is  destined  for 
all  the  human  family,  and  the  principles 
of  the  Christian  Religion  are  designed  to 
be  publicly  addressed  to  all  men,  and  they 
embrace  the  entire  area  of  glory  to  God 
in  the  highest,  with  peace,  beneficence  and 
good  will  to  all  men;  and  these  principles 
furnish  the  most  noble  and  powerful 
inducements  to  every  good  word  and  work. 
Therefore,  all  our  members  are  advised 
against  joining  in  any  secret  organization. 


RULES  OF  DISCIULINE. 


141 


And  if,  in  following  the  practice  or  rules 
of  any  secret  society,  any  do  depart  from 
the  principles  of  the  Gospel  or  any  of  our 
testimonies,  they  should  be  treated  with; 
and  if  they  can  not  be  convinced  of  the  error 
and  led  to  desist  therefrom,  they  should 
be  released  from  membership  with  us. 

And,  believing  that  the  obligations  and 
rules  of  the  order  of  Freemasons  are 
inconsistent  with  Christianity,  if,  there¬ 
fore,  any  of  our  members  shall  join  in 
membership  with  or  adhere  to  them,  or  to 
other  oath- bound  secret  societies,  Monthly 
Meetings  should  extend  care;  and  if  they 
can  not  be  convinced  of  their  error,  they 
should  be  disowned. 

II.  Tobacco. 

The  use  of  tobacco  is  repulsive  to  good 
taste  and  injurious  to  health,  requiring  a 
needless  and,  in  the  aggregate,  an  enor¬ 
mous  waste  of  labor  and  money.  There¬ 
fore  all  church  members  who  indulge  in 
the  practice  should  discontinue  and  dis¬ 
courage  a  habit  so  disgusting  and  so 


142 


RULES  OF  DISCIPLINE. 


fraught  with  evil.  Christians  who  prayer¬ 
fully  consider  the  subject  will  feel  consci¬ 
entiously  restrained  from  the  use,  produc¬ 
tion,  or  sale  of  the  article.  No  person  who 
uses  or  sells  tobacco  should  be  recorded  a 
minister,  or  appointed  an  elder,  or  over¬ 
seer,  or  clerk. 

111.  Arbitration. 

When  differences  arise  between  our 
members,  by  mutual  concession  and  con- 
decension  they  should  settle  the  matter 
between  themselves  ;  but  if  an  earnest 
effort  in  this  direction  prove  unavailing, 
they  are  directed  to  proceed  in  the  follow¬ 
ing  manner  :  The  party  who  believes 
himself  wronged  should  take  two  of  the 
overseers,  or  other  Friends,  and  in  their 
presence  repeat  the  request  for  settlement. 

If  the  case  is  plain  and  clear  in  the 
united  judgment  of  the  Friends  called 
upon,  they  should  advise  a  prompt  settle¬ 
ment  as  justice  demands.  But  if  the  case 
appears  to  be  involved  in  some  difficulty, 
they  should  advise  the  parties  to  choose 


RULES  OF  DISCIPLINE. 


113 


each  a  Friend,  as  arbitrators,  and  those 
thus  chosen  shall  choose  another  Friend, 
and  to  these  three  the  matter  in  dispute 
shall  be  submitted — the  litigants  binding 
themselves  in  writing  to  abide  their  award. 
Arbitrators  should  attend  promptly  to  the 
business  referred  to  them,  giving  the  par¬ 
ties  a  full  and  fair  hearing  in  the  pres¬ 
ence  of  each  other,  but  listening  to  neither 
separately  ;  neither  should  they  let  their 
sentiments  be  known  to  any  one  until  they 
have  come  to  a  clear  decision.  Where 
arbitrators  are  at  a  loss  for  want  of  legal 
knowledge,  they  are  at  liberty  to  take  such 
counsel  at  the  joint  expense  of  the  parties. 
They  should  not  reject  any  evidence,  nor 
receive  any,  except  in  the  presence  of 
both  parties. 

If  any  of  our  members  shall  refuse 
to  settle  a  difficulty,  as  advised  above, 
they  should  be  treated  with;  and  if  they 
do  not  give  satisfaction  by  complying 
with  the  advice  of  Friends,  or  with  the 
award,  or  shall  satisfy  the  Monthly  Meet¬ 
ing  that  the  decision  is  an  error,  they  shall 
be  disowned. 


144 


RULES  OF  DISCIPLINE. 


If  tlie  Monthly  Meeting  becomes  satis¬ 
fied  that  a  decision  is  unjust,  prompt 
measures  should  be  taken  to  see  that 
justice  is  done  by  another  arbitration  or 
otherwise. 

When  the  foregoing  mode  of  procedure 
is,  in  the  judgment  of  the  overseers,  imprac¬ 
ticable  without  loss  or  injustice  to  the 
claimant  or  those  whom  he  represents, 
recourse  to  the  law  is  permitted,  with  the 
caution  that  Friends  conduct  themselves 
as  Christians. 

Ministers  should  not  be  chosen  as  arbi¬ 
trators,  lest  their  service  in  the  Gospel  be 
marred  thereby. 

IV.  Appeals. 

When  any  who  have  lost  their  right  of 
membership  under  the  Rules  of  Discipline 
think  themselves  aggrieved  by  the  judg¬ 
ment  of  a  Monthly  Meeting,  they  may, 
after  being  informed  of  their  non-mem¬ 
bership,  notify  the  first  or  second  Monthly 
Meeting  following  (but  no  other)  of  their 
intention  to  appeal  to  the  Quarterly  Meet- 


RULES  OF  DISCIPLINE. 


145 


ing,  which  notification  the  Monthly  Meet¬ 
ing  shall  enter  on  its  minutes,  and  appoint 
two  or  more  Friends  to  attend  the  Quar¬ 
terly  Meeting,  with  a  copy  of  the  pro¬ 
ceedings  in  the  case,  signed  by  the  Clerk, 
and  to  show  the  reasons  upon  which  the 
judgment  was  founded. 

The  Quarterly  Meeting  shall  refer  the 
case  to  a  committee,  omitting  the  members 
of  the  Monthly  Meeting  from  which  the 
appeal  came,  and  shall  use  discretionary 
power  in  regard  to  excusing  persons  against 
whom  the  appellant  may  object.  This 
committee,  after  fully  examining  the  case, 
shall  by  report  confirm  or  reverse  the 
judgment  of  the  Monthly  Meeting,  as 
shall  appear  right. 

The  appellant  may  have  an  assistant  (a 
member  of  our  Society)  to  present  his 
case,  or  assist  in  presenting  it  to  the  com¬ 
mittee.  When  a  case  is  decided,  the 
appellant  should  be  informed  thereof  as 
early  as  convenient,  and  if  he  is  not 
satisfied  with  the  decision,  notice  must 
be  given  to  the  first  or  second  Quarterly 
Meeting  following  of  his  purpose  to  appeal 


140 


RULES  OF  DISCIPLINE. 


to  the  Yearly  Meeting  ;  in  which  case 
the  Clerk  of  the  Quarterly  Meeting  shall 
record  the  notification,  and  three  or  more 
Friends  shall  be  appointed  to  attend  the 
Yearly  Meeting,  with  copies  of  both  the 
Monthly  and  Quarterly  Meetings’  minutes 
in  the  case,  signed  by  the  clerks.  The 
Yearly  Meeting  shall  appoint  a  committee 
to  examine  the  records  and  hear  the  alle¬ 
gations  and  evidence  on  both  sides,  and 
make  report  of  their  judgment.  When 
the  Yearly  Meeting  gives  a  decision, 
it  shall  be  final.  The  delegates  from 
the  Quarterly  Meeting  from  which  the 
appeal  came  shall  inform  said  Quarterly 
Meeting  and  appellant  relative  to  the 
decision  of  the  case,  at  their  earliest  con¬ 
venience.  All  committees,  in  cases  of 
appeals,  should  present  their  reports  in 
writing  ;  and  when  the  decision  of  a  sub¬ 
ordinate  meeting  is  reversed,  state  the 
reasons  upon  which  their  judgment  is 
based.  When  the  judgment  of  an  inferior 
meeting  is  set  aside  on  account  of  irregular 
proceedings,  the  case  may  be  resumed  at 
the  discretion  of  overseers. 


RULES  OF  DISCIPLINE. 


117 


V.  Marriage. 

The  vital  essence  of  marriage  is  the 
uniting  of  the  parties  in  reciprocal  affec¬ 
tion,  which  is  the  divine  prerogative ;  and 
under  this  influence  the  union  is  so  com¬ 
plete  that  our  blessed  Saviour  testified, 
saying  :  ‘‘Wherefore  they  are  no  more 
twain  but  one  flesh,”  adding  in  confirm¬ 
ation  of  the  aforementioned  prerogative  : 
“What,  therefore,  God  hath  joined  to¬ 
gether,  let  not  man  put  asunder.” 

Notwithstanding  true  conjugal  union 
is  of  the  Lord,  yet  it  is  reasonable  and 
right  that  all  marriages  should  be  legally 
consummated  before  witnesses  in  a  solemn 
manner,  recognizing  it  as  a  divine  ordi¬ 
nance  ;  for  which  purpose  we  recommend 
the  following  rules  : 

The  parties  desiring  to  unite  in  marriage 
should  inform  the  Monthly  Meeting  of 
which  one  or  both  of  them  are  members, 
that  they  intend  marriage  with  each  other, 
which  meeting  shall  enter  the  proposal  on 
its  minutes  ;  and,  if  either  party  is  a 
minor,  consent  of  parents  or  guardians 


148  RULES  OF  DISCIPLINE. 

must  be  given  to  the  meeting  ;  and  all  are- 
advised  to  consult  their  parents  before 
entering  into  marriage  engagements,  and 
produce  their  consent  to  the  Monthly  Meet¬ 
ing,  when  it  can  be  conveniently  done. 

If  either  party  is  a  member  of  another 
Monthly  Meeting,  the  Monthly  Meeting 
where  the  proposition  is  introduced  should 
have  satisfactory  information  thereof,  that 
the  fact  may  be  stated  on  the  record. 

When  any  of  our  members  become  sat¬ 
isfied  to  join  in  marriage  with  one  not  in 
membership  with  us,  the  same  procedure 
is  recommended  as  when  both  are  mem¬ 
bers,  the  Monthly  Meeting  noting  the  fact 
of  non-membership  on  its  records. 

If  any  objections  have  been  presented 
to  the  overseers,  which  they  shall  judge 
reasonable,  they  should  inform  the  Month¬ 
ly  Meeting,  and  a  committee  should  be 
appointed  to  investigate  and  report,  when 
the  meeting  may  dismiss  the  case,  or  pro¬ 
ceed  in  it,  as  shall  appear  right. 

If  no  obstruction  appears,  the  parties 
shall  be  left  at  liberty  to  accomplish  their 
marriage  according  to  our  rules. 


RULES  OF  DISCIPLINE. 


149 


Monthly  Meetings  shall  not,  in  any  case, 
recognize  marriage  proceedings  under  cir- 
-cumstances  which  would  violate  the  laws 
of  the  State  in  which  the  marriage  is 
consummated. 

Marriages  under  our  rules  shall  be  sol¬ 
emnized  in  a  regular  mid-week  meeting, 
or  at  a  meeting  appointed  by  the  Monthly 
Meeting. 

Near  the  conclusion  of  the  meeting  the 
parties  should  stand  up  and,  taking  each 
other  by  the  right  hand,  declare  to  the 
following  effect,  the  man  first  : 

“In  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  be¬ 
fore  these  witnesses,  I  take  D.  E.  to  be 
my  wife,  promising,  with  divine  assist¬ 
ance,  to  be  unto  her  a  loving  and  faithful 
husband,  until  death  shall  separate  us.” 

And  then  the  woman,  in  like  manner  : 

“In  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  be¬ 
fore  these  witnesses,  I  take  A.  B.  to  be 
iny  husband,  promising,  with  divine  assist¬ 
ance,  to  be  unto  him  a  loving  and  faithful 
wife,  until  death  shall  separate  us.” 

The  marriage  certificate  should  then  be 
read,  to  the  following  import  : 


150 


RULES  OF  DISCIPLINE. 


“A.  B.,  of — — ,  in  the  county  of - * 

State  of - ,  son  of  C.  and  H.  B.,  and 

D.  E.,  daughter  of  F.  and  G.  E.,  of - * 

having  proposed  marriage  with  each  other 
in  a  religious  meeting  of  the  Society  of 
Friends,  held  at - ,  and  the  case  be¬ 

ing  considered  by  a  Monthly  Meeting  of 
said  Society,  held  at - ,  and  no  ob¬ 

struction  appearing,  they  are  liberated  to 
accomplish  their  marriage. 

“And  these  presents  may  certify  whom 
it  shall  concern,  that,  in  consummation 
thereof,  they  appeared  in  a  public  meet¬ 
ing  of  said  Society,  held  at - ,  on  the 

- day  of - ,  A.  D. - ,  and  then 

and  there  took  each  other  as  husband  and 
wife  in  the  holy  covenant  of  marriage;, 
and  did  to  these  presents  set  their  hands* 
she,  according  to  the  custom  of  marriage* 
adopting  the  name  of  her  husband. 

“And  we,  whose  names  are  hereunto 
subscribed,  being  present,  did,  as  witnesses 
thereto,  set  our  hands  the  day  and  year 
above  written.” 

A  committee  of  two  men  and  two  wom¬ 
en  Friends  should  be  appointed  to  attend 


RULES  OF  DISCIPLINE. 


151 


marriages,  place  the  marriage  certificate 
in  the  hands  of  the  Recorder,  and  make 
report  of  their  care  to  the  Monthly  Meeting. 

It  being  evident  that  the  offspring  of 
persons  near  of  kin  are  much  more  fre¬ 
quently  weak-minded,  idiotic,  or  deformed,. 
Monthly  Meetings  should  not  receive  pro¬ 
posals  of  marriage  from  any  so  near  as 
first  cousins,  or  the  children  of  half-broth¬ 
ers  or  half-sisters. 

Friends  should  visit  our  members  soon 
after  their  marriage,  for  their  help  and 
encouragement,  as  much  depends  on  the 
adoption  of  religious  habits  at  this  import¬ 
ant  period. 

In  all  cases  of  marriage,  according  to* 
the  foregoing  rules,  the  newly-married 
husband  should  be  careful  to  present  to  the 
proper  officer  at  the  county  seat  a  certificate 
of  the  marriage,  with  the  signature  of  the 
Clerk  of  the  Monthly  Meeting,  as  a  heavy- 
penalty  is  attached  to  a  neglect  of  this  duty. 
The  following  form  will  be  appropriate  : 

Marriage  Certificate. 

State  of - ,  County  of - ,  ss. 

To  the  District  Court  :  This  certifies 


152 


RULES  OF  DISCIPLINE. 


that,  on  the - day  of  the - month, 

A.  D.  - ,  at  Friends’  meeting-house, 

or  at  the  house  of  - ,  in  - , 

in  said  county,  according  to  law  and  the 

•custom  of  the  Society  of  Friends, - , 

of - County,  and  State  of  - ,  and 

- ,  of - County,  and  State  of - , 

were  joined  in  marriage.  S.  M. 

D.  F.  M. 

Witnesses  to  the  marriage  : 

A.  M. 

M.  A. 

The  following  course  is  recommended 
when  a  minister  officiates  at  marriages  not 
conducted  under  our  rules  :  After  seeing 
that  the  license  has  been  obtained,  have 
■the  parties  stand  and  take  each  other  by 
the  right  hand.  Then,  after  such  words  as 
may  be  fitting  the  occasion,  address  them 
respectively  by  their  full  names,  as  fol¬ 
lows  : 

To  the  man  : — Dost  thou,  M — - ,  in 

the  presence  of  God  and  before  these  wit¬ 
nesses,  take  this  woman,  whose  hand  thou 
boldest,  to  be  thy  wife,  promising  with  di¬ 
vine  assistance,  to  be  unto  her  a  loving  and 


RULES  OF  DISCIPLINE. 


153 


faithful  husband,  until  death  shall  sepa¬ 
rate  you  ? 

Answer  :  I  do. 

To  the  woman  : — Dost  thou,  N - , 

in  the  presence  of  God  and  before  these 
witnesses,  take  this  man  whose  hand  thou 
boldest,  to  be  thy  husband,  promising, 
with  divine  assistance,  to  be  unto  him  a 
loving  and  faithful  wife,  until  death  shall 
separate  you  ? 

Answer :  I  do. 

The  minister  shall  then  say  :  Accord¬ 
ing  to  the  laws  of  God  and  of  the  State  of 
- ,  I  pronounce  you  husband  and  wife. 

As  this  is  one  of  the  most  solemn  occa¬ 
sions  of  life  the  marriage  ceremony  should 
be  attended  with  suitable  religious  exer¬ 
cises. 

Ministers  should  report  all  marriages  of 
Friends  solemnized  by  them,  both  to  the 
proper  civil  officer  and  to  the  Monthly 
Meeting  of  which  the  newly  married  per¬ 
sons  are  members. 


154 


RULES  OF  DISCIPLINE. 


YI.  Disagreement ,  Separation ,  and  Di¬ 

vorce  between  Husband  and  Wife. 

If  any  members  (husbands  and  wives) 
shall  so  far  depart  from  the  teaching  and 
spirit  of  the  Gospel,  in  violation  of  the 
solemn  covenant  of  marriage,  as  to  quarrel 
with  each  other;  or,  if  either  shall  insult 
or  abuse  the  other;  or,  if  they  shall  cease 
to  live  together  as  husband  and  wife, 
thus  disgracing  themselves  and  the  Church, 
let  them  be  speedily  dealt  with;  and  if 
either  or  both  refuse  to  submit  their  diffi¬ 
culties  to  the  overseers,  or  other  Friends 
chosen  to  settle  the  difference,  or  to  abide 
by  their  decision  and  live  together  in  har¬ 
mony,  they  should  be  disowned. 

But  if  either  party  manifest  a  willing¬ 
ness  to  comply  with  the  advice  of  Friends, 
and  to  do  his  or  her  duty,  such  should  not 
be  censured  for  the  wrong  of  the  other,  but 
should  have  the  sympathy  of  Friends.  And 
if  any  of  our  members,  under  extraordinary 
circumstances,  incline  to  apply  for  divorce, 
they  should  request  the  advice  of  the 
Monthly  Meeting  in  the  case,  which  meeting 
should  appoint  a  committee  to  investigate 


RULES  OF  DISCIPLINE. 


155 


the  subject  in  accordance  with  scriptural 
instruction.  Individuals  are  not  at  liberty 
to  proceed  with  such  applications  with¬ 
out  the  consent  of  the  Monthly  Meeting. 

VI  l .  Funerals. 

In  view  of  the  solemn  circumstance  of 
death,  which  so  impressively  reminds  us 
of  the  uncertainty  of  life,  and  the  need  of 
a  preparation  for  the  life  to  come,  it  is 
advised  that  a  meeting  for  worship  be  held 
at  the  funeral  of  each  of  our  members,  if 
circumstances  will  justify  it. 

Two  Friends  of  each  sex  should  be  ap¬ 
pointed  by  the  Monthly  Meeting  in  each 
meeting  to  attend  and  assist  at  the  funerals 
of  our  members. 

And  two  or  more  Friends  should  be  ap¬ 
pointed  in  each  meeting  to  have  the  care 
of  burial  grounds,  to  keep  them  properly 
inclosed  and  in  good  order  at  the  expense 
of  the  meeting.  Persons  not  members, 
wishing  to  bury  in  our  grounds,  should 
apply  to  one  of  this  committee  and  obtain 
permission  therefor,  and  one  or  more  of 
said  committee  should  attend  such  funerals. 


15G 


RULES  OF  DISCIPLINE. 


VIII.  Statistical  Table. 

(See  page  109). 

Report  of . Meeting  to . Meeting: 

AVhole  number  of  members  last  year .  . 

Number  of  members  this  year  : 

Males . . Females . . Total  . . 

Increase... .  . — - 

Decrease . . 

Number  of  births .  . . 

Number  received  on  request . . . 

Number  received  on  certificate  .  . 

Number  of  deaths . . . . . 

Number  of  removals  . . 

Number  of  resignations . . 

Number  of  disowuments . . 

Number  of  families . . 

Number  of  families  who  read  the  Holy  Scriptures 

daily  with  devotion . . . 

Number  of  Monthly  Meetings  (answered  by  Quar¬ 
terly  Meetings) .  . . 

Number  of  other  meetings  (answered  by  Quarterly 

Meeti  ngs ) . . 

Number  of  ministers  last  year  : 

Males  . Females _ _ Total . . 

Number  added  since  last  year  : 

Males  . Females  ..  .. - Total  .... - 

Whole  number  of  ministers . . 

Decrease  since  last  year  : 

Males . . Females . . Total  . . 

What  per  cent,  of  members  habitually  use  tobacco. - 

What  per  cent,  habitually  used  it  last  year  . . 

No.  discontinuing  its  use  since  last  year : 

Males . . Females  . Total . ■ — — 

Number  engaged  in  manufacturing  tobacco . . . 

Number  engaged  in  selling  tobacco  . . 


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INDEX 


Advices,  114—126. 
to  all  members,  114—121. 
to  ministers,  elders  and  overseers,  121—126. 

Aid  to  the  poor,  77,  109,  117. 
to  churches,  85. 

Appeal®,  144—146. 
granted,  79,  8.5. 
decisions  of,  85,  87.  145,  146. 

Appellants,  145,  146. 

Arbitration,  142—144. 

Atonement,  43,  112. 

Bai.es,  119. 

Baptism,  w  ith  water,  17,  47,  48—49,  139 — 140. 
with  the  Holy  Spirit,  36,  48,  113. 

Births,  16. 
records  of,  102,  157. 

Bishops,  21,  73. 

Burial  grounds,  155. 

Ceremonies,  4, 17,  47,  52,  153, 

Certificates,  of  members,  103,  135. 
of  removal,  136. 
of  ministers,  81-82,  99-101.  103. 
for  ministerial  service,  99—101. 
of  removal  of  ministers,  81,  82,  136. 
of  marriages,  149-152. 

Children,  members  of  the  church,  57,  69,  129,  134. 
subject  to  government  and  discipline,  129. 
conversion  of,  129—130. 
privileges  of,  129. 
duties  of,  130. 


160 


INDEX. 


Christ,  crucified,  etc.,  10,  32,  38,  B6,  05. 
the  Judge,  33,  47. 
the  King,  33.  30. 
the  Priest,  18,  33. 
the  Prophet,  11. 

Deity  and  Manhood  of,  1 12. 

government  of,  14,  15,  55,  122,  129. 

worship  of,  34. 

faith  in,  30.  38,  112,  113. 

humiliation  of,  31. 

sacrifice  of,  112. 

death  of,  32,  42. 

resurrection  of,  34. 

exaltation  of,  31,  34. 

partaking  of  the  death  of,  51,  52,  53. 

the  justifier,  42. 

Christianity,  7,  141. 

Christian  Religion,  138. 
doctrines  of,  109,  111,  134,  138, 
principles  of,  140. 

Church.  10,  13. 14,  15,  17,  18,  20,  24,  29,  72,  73.  154. 
definition  of,  09. 

the  Head  of,  15,  24,  35,  54,  55,  66,  113,  114. 
a  church,  churches,  15,  21.  56,  58,  71,  72,  73,  74,  75r 
78,  79.  80,  81,  82,  85,  86,  89,  90,  129,  130,  138, 139. 
Episcopal,  6,  6. 
of  England,  21. 
of  Rome,  5,  6. 

Church  and  State,  21. 

Church  Government.  6,  14,  17,  77,  93,  129. 
principles  of,  17,  71—72. 
form  necessary,  77. 

the  Form  of,  67,  69—126,  71,  88,  102,  133. 

how  amended  or  revised,  88. 

founded  on  Scripture  and  primitive  practice,  71, 77. 

administered  by,  77. 

Church  Polity,  6,  71. 


INDEX. 


161 


Circuses,  119. 

Clerks,  101,  105,  142. 

duties  of,  83,  85,  87,  92,  95,  102,  103,  105,  135,  145,  146. 
151. 

Comforter,  the,  24,  35,  36,  52. 

Committees,  79,  80,  82,  97,  132,  133,  134,  138,  145,  146, 
148,  150,  154,  155. 

Communion,  36,  52,  53.  54,  113,  116,  119. 

Complaints,  80,  133,  137. 

Concerns,  of  ministers,  99—101. 

Confession.  See  Declaration  of  Faith, 
of  faith,  34,  130,  134. 
of  error,  138. 

Conscience,  4,  5,  6,  12,  13,  19,  37,  60—6',  71,  72,  120. 
Conversion.  See  Regeneration. 

Correspondents,  101,  102. 

duties  of,  101.  103. 

Creation,  of  man,  40—41. 

Cross,  25,  26,  32,  112. 

Deaths,  16. 
record  of,  102,  156,  157. 
of  ministers,  reported,  95,  97. 

Deeds,  104,  107. 

Decisions,  72,  154. 
of  Clerks,  202. 
of  appeals,  85,  87,  145,  146. 
in  arbitration,  143,  144. 
rehearing  of,  144, 
reversal  of,  146. 

Declaration  of  Faith,  27,  29—55,  It). 

how  amended  or  revised,  88. 

Delegates,  78,  132. 
to  Quarterly  Meeting,  78,  146. 
to  Yearly  Me  ting,  83. 

to  Quarterly  Meeting  on  Ministry  and  Oversight, 91. 
to  Yearly  Meeting  on  Ministry  and  Oversight,  93. 


162 


INDEX. 


Departments,  of  work,  87. 

Devil,  12. 

Discipline,  88,  87,  130-183 
what  it  is,  129. 
system  of,  16,  17,  72,  77. 

Rules  of,  79,  127,  129—155. 
legislation  upon,  88. 
subjects  of,  129. 
ends  of,  129. 

Dissenters,  4,  12. 

Directory,  5. 

Divorce,  154  -155. 

Doctrines,  4.  8,  10,  23,  71,  81,  87,  90,  91,  92, 106,  109,  111, 
138,  140. 

fundamental,  10,  29. 
doctrine,  maintained,  83,  93. 
defined  by  legislation,  87. 
amended  or  revised,  88. 
doctrinal  views.  81,  98,  111. 

Duties,  15,  16,  19,  23,  59,  64. 
of  the  church,  58,  78,  83,  90,  93,  96. 
of  various  meetings,  78—83,  83—85,  91 — 92,  93 — 95, 
96—97,  105-107. 
of  officers,  102—104. 

of  Ministers,  Elders  and  Overseers,  91—92. 

Edification,  15,  56,  69,  70,  77,  81,  110,  114,  121. 
Education,  16,  120. 

Elders,  70,  73.  90. 

including  Ministers  and  other  Elders.  73,  111. 
of  equal  station  and  authority,  73. 
gifts  and  qualifications  of,  73. 
of  different  cnaracteristics  and  qualifications,  74. 
Elders  (not  Ministers),  74,  75—76,  93,  94,  96,  142. 
qualifications  and  duties  of,  75—76,  80,  81. 
station  of,  73,  80 
recording  of,  81,  111, 


INDEX. 


163 


Episcopalians,  5,  20. 

Errors,  prevention  of,  71,  83. 
confession  of.  138. 
convincement  of,  138,  139,  141. 
reclamation  from,  16,  139. 
condemnation  of,  140. 
desisting  from,  140. 
in  decision,  143,  144. 

Faith,  11,  25,  65. 

Declaration  of,  27,  29- -65,  88,  140. 
unity  of,  29,  76. 

promotion  of,  71,  77,  83,  86,  87,  91,  94,  121. 
profession  of,  134. 

Fall,  of  man,  40—41,  42,  111—113. 

Fellowship,  16,  17,  26,  50,  71,  77,  80,  108,  129. 

First-day  of  the  week,  64—65,  117. 

Form  of  Government.  See  Church  Government. 
Friends,  3,  13,  15,  16,  20,  22,  23,  71,  134,  136,  142,  143, 
144,  145,  146,  151,  153,  154,  155.  See  Society  of 
Friends. 

usages  of,  102,  133. 

Funerals,  155. 

Gambling,  119,  139. 

Gifts,  15,  55,  57,  123. 
of  Ministers,  66,  73,  89,  92. 
not  to  be  mistaken,  57. 
of  both  Ministers  and  Elders,  73  infra,  74. 
of  Ministers,  74.  75. 
of  Elders,  73,  75,  76,  80. 
spiritual,  57,  73,  76,  98,  114—115. 
exercise  of,  115. 

God,  faith  in,  29,  111. 

Godhead,  30,  31,  35. 

Gospel,  7,  56. 

promotion  of,  10,  69,  81,  87,  95,  121, 


164 


INDEX. 


Gospel,  the  commission,  19. 

Government,  6,  17,  20,  22,  61,  107. 
of  Christ,  14,  15,  55,  122,  129. 

Holiness,  37,  44,  45,  71. 
law  of,  42. 

Holy  Spirit.  See  Spirit. 

Intolerance,  5. 

Infants,  41. 

Intoxicants,  119,  139. 

Judaism,  11,  18. 

Justification,  through  faith,  41,  43,  112. 
of  grace,  41,  43. 
with  regeneration,  43. 

Judgment,  33,  34,  35,  38,  45—47. 
day  of,  114. 

of  meetings,  88,  95,  97,  98,  106— 1'7,  134,  144, 145,  146. 
of  officers,  142,  144. 
of  committees,  80, 146. 

Kingdom,  of  God,  11,  33,  36,  46. 

Legislation,  88. 

Letters,  135,  136,  137. 

Liberty,  6,  11, 12, 13,  15,  16,  19,  20,  35,  60,  61. 

Light,  the,  of  the  world,  10,  11,  30. 

List  of  members,  78,  135,  137,  138,  139. 

Lotteries,  109,  119,  139. 

Magistrates,  21,  61. 

Marriages,  16,  61-62,  120,  147-153,  154. 
nature  and  essence  of,  147. 
rules  governing,  147—153. 
records  of,  102,  157. 
certificates  of,  149—152. 


INDEX. 


165 


Marriages,  civil  laws  concerning,  149,  158. 

Meetings,  77-78.  129. 

meetings  for  worship,  13,  53—58,  108,  110,  117,  121, 
155. 

mid-week  meetings,  149. 

business  meetings  in  general,  101—102,  146,  148, 149. 

for  discipline,  17,  108,  110,  130—133. 

kinds  of,  77. 

records  of,  130. 

time  and  place  of,  132. 

Meetings,  Monthly.  78-83  84,  85  94,  98,  99,  100,  101, 

102.  103.  104.  108.  132.  133  134  135.  136.  137  138, 
139.  140.  141,  143.  144,  145  146,  147,  148,  149,  150, 
151  154  155  156.  157. 

of  what  it  consists,  78. 

list  of  members  of.  78.  135,  137,  138,  139. 

establishment  of.  82,  84. 

powers  and  duties  of  78—83. 

representation  of,  78. 

records  of,  reviewed,  85. 

reports  of,  82—83. 

Meetings.  Quarterly,  78.  82.  83—85,  86,  87,  88,  99,  100, 
101,  108,  105,  108,  133,  144,  145,  146,  156. 
of  what  it  consists,  83. 
establishment  of,  84. 
design  of,  83. 

powers  and  duties  of,  83 — 85. 
representation  of,  83. 
records  of,  reviewed,  87. 
propositions  from,  88. 
reports  of,  85. 

Meeting,  Yearly,  78,  82,  83,  84,  85,  86-88,  99,  100,  101, 

103,  104,  105,  106,  107,  108,  135,  146. 
of  what  it  consists,  86. 

when  established,  86. 
when  and  where  held,  86—87, 

(Ipsign  of,  86,  87, 


166 


INDEX. 


Meeting,  Yearly,  powers  of  87—88. 
legislation  of.  88. 

Meetings,  Monthly,  on  Ministry  and  Oversight,  78, 
81,  90-92,  97,  98,  109,  110,  111. 
of  what  composed,  90—91. 
powers  and  duties  of,  91—92. 
representation  of,  91. 
duties  of  members  of,  91—92. 
reports  of,  92. 

Meetings.  Quarterly,  on  Ministry  and  Oversight,  78, 
81,  93-95,  98,  99,  106,  109,  110,  111. 
of  what  composed,  93. 
powers  and  duties  of,  93—95. 
representation  of,  93. 
reports  of,  95. 

Meeting,  Yearly,  on  Ministry  and  Oversight,  78,  95, 
96-97,  100,  111. 
of  what  composed,  96. 
when  and  where  held,  98. 
powers  and  duties  of,  96—97. 
reports  of.  96,  97. 
record  of  deceased  ministers,  97. 

Meeting,  Representative,  88,  95,  101—107. 
of  what  composed,  104—105. 
members  of,  how  chosen,  104—105. 
when  and  where  it  meets,  105. 
powers  and  duties  of,  105—107. 
record  of,  107. 

Meetings,  the  American  Yearly,  99,  100,  103. 

Members,  15,  16,  17,  34,  35,  72,  77,  129,  142,  151, 153. 155. 
list  of,  78,  135,  137,  138,  139. 
children  as  members,  57,  69,  129—130,  134. 
letters  of,  135,  136,  137. 
complaints  of,  80,  133,  137. 
disciplining  of,  79,  143. 
reclamation  of,  16,  139. 

disowpment  of,  16,  79,  137,  138,  139,  141,  143,  154,  157. 


iNi>EX. 


16? 


Mcuibersliip,  qualifications  of,  71. 

Membership,  applicants  for,  133,  134,  135,  13ti. 
applications  for,  133,  135. 
rights  of,  129,  130,  131,  133,  133—137,  144. 
privileges  of  129,  130. 
removal  of,  135. 
resignations  of,  137. 
forfeiture  of,  137—140. 

spiritual  state  of,  considered,  96—97,  108,  109,  111. 
Memorials,  95, 106. 

Ministers,  13,  14,  56,  57,  70,  73,  89,  90,  91,  93,  94,  98  107 
123,  142,  144,  152,  153. 

qualifications  and  duties  of,  74—75,  89,  92. 
station  of,  74—75,  98. 
recommendation  of,  92,  98. 
recording  of,  97—99,  111. 
certificates  and  credentials  of,  81—82,  136. 
disciplining  and  deposition  of,  94,  139—140. 
deaths  of,  reported,  95. 
record  of  deaths  of,  97,  156. 

Ministerial  service,  81—82,  97,  99  -101. 
concerns  of  Ministers.  99. 
nature  and  field  of,  99—100. 
unity  and  concurrence  with,  99  -100. 
certificates  for,  99—101. 
provision  for,  101,  132. 

Ministry,  19,  50,  57,  89,  92,  97—99,  121,  122,  125. 
origin  of,  56,  89. 
gift  in  the,  74,  97,  98. 
certificates  of,  136. 

Ministry  and  Oversight,  89—99. 

Nature,  of  man,  37,  40—41,  42. 
of  gifts  of  Ministers  and  Elders,  74. 
divine,  partakers  of,  116. 

New  fields  of  labor,  82,  85,  87,  94, 

New  Testament,  38,  39,  60. 


168 


INDEX. 


Oaths,  19,  20.  21,  63-64,  109,  139. 

Offences,  21, 126,  130. 

Offenders,  16,  33,  79-80, 108,  130,  138. 

Officers,  71,  101,  129. 
qualifications  of,  71,  73,  74,  76,  76,  142. 
permanent  officers,  73. 
when  and  for  how  long  chosen,  80—81. 
duties  of  permanent  officers,  74—76,  89—92. 
executive  and  regular  officers,  101—104. 
duties  of  executive  officers,  102—104, 
when  and  for  how  long  chosen,  101—102. 
disciplining  and  deposition  of,  139—140. 

Offices,  73,  101-102, 
station  of  Minister  in,  73,  74,  98. 
station  of  Elder  in,  73,  75,  80—81. 
length  of  terms  of,  80—81,  101—102. 
forfeiture  of,  139—140. 

Old  Testament,  38,  39. 

Ordinances,  19,  47-53,  113,  116,  139-140. 

Overseers,  79-80,  90,  93,  94,  96,  142,  144,  146,  148,  154. 
qualifications  of,  79. 
duties  of,  79—80,  132,  133,  137. 

Oversight,  69,  70,  73,  76,  79,  85,  90. 
ministry  and,  89—99. 

Papists,  4,  21. 

Pastors,  73. 
and  teachers,  73. 
pastoral  body,  73,  74,  78. 
pastoral  care,  73,  75,76,  90,  91. 
pastoral  work,  70,  74,  81,  94. 

Peace,  62-63,  117,  118. 

Persecution,  3,  4,  12,  13,  21,  22,  23. 
assistance  of  those  under,  22,  77,  107. 

Polity.  See  Church  Polity. 

Poor,  relieving  necessities  of,  16,  109. 
liberality  towards,  117. 


lNDEi. 


1 69 


Poor,  should  be  rich  in  faith.  118—119. 

Praise,  14,  34,  58—60,  125. 

Prayer,  10.  14,  34,45,  50,  54,  58-60,  110,  116,  123,  125. 
Preaching,  6,  10,  13,  24,  26,  56,  70,  122, 
centra]  theme  of,  89. 

Christ  Jesus  the  Lord,  10,  89,  124. 
support  of,  18,  57—58,  81. 

Presbyterians,  5, 12. 

Presence,  of  Christ,  8.  10,  11,  13,  33,  51—52. 
Priesthood,  11,  33,  52. 

Jewish,  11. 

of  Christ,  18,  33,  55,  58. 
of  believers,  35,  77. 

Priests,  18,  33,  35. 

Principles,  moral  and  religious,  39,  120. 

Christian.  14,  109,  134. 
of  Church  Government,  71—73. 
of  Friends,  17,  71-73,  109,  134,  138,  141. 
of  Christian  Religion,  140, 
of  the  Gospel,  141. 

Prisons  and  prisoners,  21—22. 

Prophecy,  15,  56. 

Prophets,  11,  15. 

Queries,  82-83,  85,  92,  95,  96,  108-114,  132. 
general  queries,  108—109. 

for  Meetings  on  Ministry  and  Oversight,  109—111. 
questions  to  Ministers  and  Elders,  81,  98,  111—114. 

Records,  of  business  meetings,  general,  102.  130. 
of  Monthly  Meetings,  reviewed,  85,  135,  145. 
of  Quarterly  Meetings,  reviewed,  87,  146. 
of  Representative  Meeting,  107. 
of  marriages,  births  and  deaths,  102, 156,  157. 
of  deceased  Ministers,  97. 

Form  of,  102,  157. 

Recorders,  102,  151. 


i  7() 


INDEX. 


“Recorders,  duties  of,  102, 131. 

Recording  Ministers.  See  Ministers. 

Reformation,  4. 

Reformers,  3. 

Regeneration,  11,  12,  41,  43,  09,  81,  109,  113.  130. 

Repentance,  11,  12,  41,  42,  79,  94, 112  116,  129. 

Reports,  82—83,  92,  96,  97,  98,  101,  132,  145,  146,  151. 

Resurrection,  of  Christ,  32,  48. 
of  ail  men,  34,  45—47,  113. 

Righteousness,  7,  11,  32,  33,  35,  40,  42,  43,  44,  45,  69. 

Rights,  5,  15,  71,  72,  130,  133. 
of  membership,  133—137,  144. 

Rites,  4,  16,  17,  47,  49,  52,  116,  140. 

Rules  of  Discipline,  72,  79,  88,  102,  108,  127,  129,  155. 
rules  governing  meetings  for  discipline,  130—133. 
rules  touching  rights  of  membership,  133—137. 
rules  touching  forfeiture  of  membership  and  of 
office,  137—140. 

other  rules  and  regulations,  140—155. 

Sabbatii.  See  First-day  of  the  week. 

Sacraments,  17,  116. 

Sacrifices,  propitiatory,  8,  32,  42,  54,  112. 
spiritual,  54—55. 

Sanctification,  41,  43—45,  113. 

Sanctifier,  36,  120. 

Satan,  10,  40,  45,  111. 

Scriptures,  the  Holy,  24,  36,  38—40,  60,  63,  91,  122. 
the  oracles  of  God,  123. 
inspiration  of,  38,  39,  114. 
only  authorized  record  of  doctrine,  39. 
only  rule  of  faith  and  practice,  72, 114. 
basis  of  church  government,  71,  72,  77. 
study  of,  110,  120,  123,  155. 
devotional  reading  of,  64, 109, 156. 

Sex,  no  distinction  id,  73,  79,  130,  131,  155. 

Simplicity,  19, 118. 


INDEX. 


171 


Sin,  40,  41,  42-43. 
guilt  of,  41—42,  44,  112. 
propitiation  for,  10,  32,  42,  112. 
conviction  of  11,  35,  112. 
forgiveness  of,  32,  41,  42. 
remission  of,  32. 
deliverance  from,  8,  41—42,  44. 

Singing,  55. 

Society  of  Friends,  3,  16,  17,  72,  86,  97,  104,  131,  134, 

136,  137,  138,  150,  152.  See  Friends. 

Ri«e  of,  3—26. 

usages  of,  102,  133. 

Societies,  of  churches,  69,  71,  72, 135,  (denomination) 

137. 

Societies,  secret,  109,  119,  140  -141. 

Spirit,  the  Holy,  6,  8,  10,  11,  12,  14,  52,  116. 
faith  in,  35-38,  112. 
offices  of,  24.  25,  36,  37,  112—113. 
conviction  of,  11,  35,  42,  52.  112,  116. 
baptism  of,  15,  35,  36,  56—57,  113. 
anointing  of,  114. 

leading  of,  11,  13,  14,  37,  39,  113,  118. 
enlightening  of,  12,  36,  37. 
the  Inspirerand  Interpreter  of  Scripture,  39. 
State,  5,  14. 

Church  and,  20. 

State,  spiritual,  of  the  Society,  108—114,  156. 
of  membership  of  Meetings  ou  Ministry  and  Over¬ 
sight,  96,  156. 

Supper,  ot  the  Lord,  17,  110. 
the  true,  of  the  Lord,  50. 

Tttiirs,  17—18. 

Tobacco,  119,  139.  141—142, 156. 

Treasurer,  103. 
duties  of,  103. 

Trustees,  103—104,  105,  131, 


172 


INDEX. 


Trustees,  duties  of,  104. 

Uniformity,  4,  SB. 

Unity,  of  the  Spirit,  7t5,  121. 


War,  19,  62, 109,  117, 139. 

Women,  15,  56,  57,  131. 

Worship,  private,  60,  65,  117. 
family,  60,  109,  110. 
public,  53—58,  110. 
congregational,  52,  53,  60. 
in  spirit  and  in  truth,  13,  17,  53,  54. 
on  the  first  day  of  the  week,  64—65. 


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